By Our Reporter
Despite reports from Monrovia and other parts of Liberia of virtually no census activity on Friday, November 11, 2022, the government and international partners have said “the Census is now on track and has commenced as of 11 November, 2022”.
Their statement came late into the day that President George Weah had declared a national census holiday, when most people stayed home to be counted for the census kickoff, but told local radio stations throughout the day that they did not seen enumerators from the Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo Information Service (LIGIS) at their homes and in their communities.
Just hours before Friday, two top officials of LISGIS, acting Director General Wilmot Smith and the Deputy for Statistics Amos Williams sharply contradicted each other on the local OK FM radio, when Smith said all was set for the exercise, while Williams said Liberia was not prepared for the census which he said was plagued by fraud and lots of problems.
Earlier, a veteran census expert on the census committee, Nimba County Representative Larry Yanquoi called for the exercise to be postponed due to serious flaws, challenges in lack of adequate preparation. Protests have been staged by census enumerators around the country over LISGIS failure to pay their transportation reimbursement and sitting fee during the recent ten days training.
A prominent Liberian Historian Dr. Gaye described the sluggish start of the census as a “national shame”.
The country’s constitution stipulates that a national population and housing census be held after every ten years but this has not been the case. Since its independence in 1847, census has been held only four times. The current one should have taken place since 2018 but it had been repeatedly postponed since due to a range of challenges.
After a joint closed-door meeting comprising LISGIS, Liberian government officials and international partners, including the United Nations, issued a statement condemning calls by some elements for people to boycott the census.
Among those calling for a boycott of the census is former Secretary General of the former ruling Unity Party, Mr. Wilmot Paye.
SEE THE GOVERNMENT AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS STATEMENT BELOW:
Press Release
Monrovia, 11 November 2022
The Government of Liberia and International Partners wish to reaffirm their continued commitment to the successful conduct of the ongoing 2022 National Population and Housing Census by the Government which runs from11 to 22 November, 2022.
The population and housing census is among the most complex and massive peacetime exercises a nation can undertake. A census, as mandated within the Constitution, involves the complete enumeration of the population in a country. It generates a wealth of data, including numbers of people, their spatial distribution, age and sex structure, as well as their living conditions and other key socioeconomic characteristics. These data are critical for good governance, policy formulation, development planning, crisis prevention, mitigation and response, social welfare programmes and business market analyses, among others.
Given this, the International Community wishes to encourage all not to politicize or disrupt the ongoing 2022 National Population and Housing Census. We have observed with dismay calls by some elements within the country to boycott the Census.
Despite some initial challenges, the Census is now on track and has commenced as of 11 November, 2022. Any further disruption would lead to delays in, or possible abortion, of the Census which will benefit no one.
The Partners, led by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), are providing technical and financial support to the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services, the agency of the Government with the authority to conduct Census taking, to ensure the census house listing an enumeration is completed within the timeframe of 11- 22 November, 2022 as announced by the Government.
The International Partner support is aimed at ensuring that the 2022 National Population
and Housing Census is of high quality and upholds international principles and standards.
The unique advantage of the census is that it represents the entire statistical universe, down to the smallest geographical/ administrative area of a country or region.
The Government of Liberia and International partners wish to appeal to all citizens, residents and visitors to peacefully support the ongoing 2022 National Population and Housing Census by welcoming the Census Enumerators to their homes and facilities and allow them to do their work. Remember that Census takes place every 10 years and the
process gives an individual the opportunity to be heard, and counted. So let’s make this Census count.