The inaugural meeting of the 2025 Population and Housing Census Communication, Publicity, and Awareness Raising Committee was held at the New Brookfield Hotel in Freetown, signaling the government’s commitment to leveraging technology for a more efficient and accurate census.

Minister of Communications, Technology, and Innovation, Madam Salima Monorma Bah, emphasized her ministry’s dedication to incorporating advanced digital tools for data collection, which she said would streamline the process and improve accuracy. “We are fully committed to utilizing modern technologies to ensure that this census is conducted in the most efficient manner possible,” Bah stated.

The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from the National Statistics Office, civil society groups, and the media, to discuss strategies for promoting broad public participation and ensuring an inclusive census. Collaboration across these sectors was highlighted as crucial for the success of the decennial exercise.

Statistician General Andrew Bob Johnny praised the Ministry’s leadership, stating, “The Ministry’s role in this upcoming census is vital, and by leveraging digital platforms, we are confident in a successful outcome.”

In her concluding remarks, Minister Bah expressed confidence in the planned approach and reiterated her ministry’s commitment to the process. She also underscored the private sector’s importance in supporting the census and noted that accurate population data would be essential for government initiatives like the Feed Salone Project.

The meeting sets the stage for coordinated efforts to promote awareness and ensure an accurate population count ahead of the 2025 census.