Census, according to the Statistician General is normally conducted by the government to retrieve information from the public that they would need to develop policies, plan and run public services, and allocates funding for the general good.

Though faced with challenges the population and housing census was classed by independent observers as was credible and well in place.

Speaking at the briefing, the Chairman, Statistics-Sierra Leone (SSL), who also serves as Chairman of the briefing, Dr. Sullay Kamara said the census process has for broad stages, of which the cacographic mapping leads the process, Enumeration exercise, Post enumeration survey and Data processing, analysis and reporting as the final stage.

“We’ve completed two key stages of the process” he said, adding that those who were not counted in the process just don’t want to.

Given a picture of the field activities, the Field Operations Coordinator, Peter Bangura said the process comprises over fifteen thousand field staff who were left to collect data across the country, but with the expansion on other areas the project became stalled as they notice rapid extension on areas that emerged after the pre-census stage.

“With the process unable to be completed within the stipulated time, but with devised strategies the challenges were surmounted”, Peter Bangura said.

With statistics council now on Post enumeration survey, it is however anticipated that the stipulated time for the outcome of adequate Census report, 2017 would not elapse.