By Zacharia Jalloh
The Ministry of Information and Civic Education, Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL), and the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) have concluded a series of media engagements in Freetown and Makeni to prepare journalists for the 2026 Population and Housing Census.
Supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the engagements aimed to brief media practitioners on the facts and significance of the census, as well as preparations and operational readiness for the nationwide exercise.
In Freetown, the Minister for Information and Civic Education, Hon. Chernor Bah, who attended the engagement, urged journalists to take the lead in providing accurate information to the public. He said media practitioners have a civic responsibility to help citizens understand the census and to correct wrong perceptions through clear, reliable reporting.
“We want you to see this as a civic duty to give citizens accurate education about the census. “We will build public trust and clear all misconceptions around the census with strong media collaboration,” the Minister said.
The Minister’s call comes as the country prepares for Census Nite on 1 December 2026, with enumeration running from 2 December through the end of the month. The sessions let journalists hear directly from officials involved in planning the exercise and raise census-related issues.
Samuel Ansumana, Director of Communications at Statistics Sierra Leone, updated participants on the institution’s plans, procurement and preparations for the December count. “The government is the biggest sponsor of the census and, in an effort to promote transparency, presented the whole census budget to the media,” he said.
Ansumana also said that a further US$19 million was now required to complete the census operation. “His presentation provided journalists with information on the funding requirement and status of preparations that they can use to inform their audiences.
The engagements also discussed the challenges of misinformation and disinformation. Mohamed Jaward Nyallay, the Ministry’s Strategic Communications Adviser, spoke about the information environment around the census. He spoke about the media’s role in identifying and addressing misinformation and ensuring the public receives factual information.
Nyallay said the need for responsible communication as the census approaches was underscored, adding that inaccurate information could confuse citizens. Media practitioners have been advised to cross-check information and rely on relevant authorities when reporting the exercise.
The Director of Civic Education and Citizens Engagement, Timothy Sam, said the media is a strategic and indispensable partner in delivering a credible census. He said such timely communication of accurate information is part of what public understanding and participation depend on.
You cannot have a credible census without the media. “We’ve got to get the media involved at every stage,” Sam said. He said town hall meetings and media engagements are part of the Ministry’s responsibility to ensure citizens are informed and part of the process.
SLAJ Secretary General Edward Marah praised the government for involving journalists early in census preparations. “Journalists are trusted, neutral voices that can help the public understand the exercise,” he said.
“We are apolitical,” said Marah. “When we speak, the people listen. He vowed the Fourth Estate would fight misinformation and disinformation about the census. He also welcomed the engagements held in Freetown and Makeni and reaffirmed SLAJ’s commitment to support the process.
The organisers appealed to citizens to be available to be counted when the enumeration begins. They also urged the public to verify any census information with Statistics Sierra Leone and the Ministry of Information and Civic Education rather than relying on unverified information.
Census Nite will be on December 1, and enumeration will start the next day. Officials said continued collaboration between government agencies, the media and the public will be crucial to inform citizens and support the census exercise.
