As Parliament reviews Statutory Instrument No. 8 of 2024 regarding the upcoming nationwide Population and Housing Census, the All Peoples Congress (APC) Party has committed to fully participating in the process.
The APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Sidi Yaya Tunis, reaffirmed the party’s support, emphasizing their constitutional duty.
“This is a constitutional provision, which clearly states that censuses should happen every ten years, and so the APC will fully participate in the census. We will promote it, mobilize our membership, supporters, and the public to participate,” Tunis stated.
President Julius Maada Bio recently announced that the national Population and Housing Census will commence in December 2025.
In a nationwide address, President Bio highlighted the importance of the decennial Census in guiding development programs, including the 2024-2030 Medium Term National Development Plan and efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
The APC’s support for the 2025 Census marks a shift from previous opposition stances. In the lead-up to the 2021 Mid-Term Population and Housing Census, opposition parties, including the APC, had distanced themselves, accusing the government of using the census for political gain—claims the government denied, asserting that the census was strictly for development purposes.
The 2021 Census results, released by Statistics Sierra Leone, showed the Eastern Region as the most populated, with 1,939,122 people. The Western Area followed with 1,268,757, while the North/Eastern and North/Western regions had 1,318,831 and 1,186,050 residents, respectively. The total national population was estimated at 7,541,641, reflecting the evolving demographic landscape ahead of the upcoming 2025 Census.
The APC’s endorsement of the 2025 Census signals a collaborative approach toward ensuring accurate population data, which is crucial for national development and planning.
