Press Statement
LIBERIA – International Partners supporting the 2022 National Population and Housing Census are closely monitoring the progress of the ongoing enumeration across Liberia and are optimistic that the Census will be completed despite the challenges.
After visiting select counties, including Montserrado and Lofa, to interact with the census field staff and observe the progress of the ongoing census enumeration, the partners are confident and hopeful that at the end of the process, Liberia will have the much-needed updated data to aid development-planning. The objective of these field visits and meetings by the Swedish Ambassador and his team, the USAID Mission Director, the World Bank Country Manager, and the UNFPA Representative and her team, accompanied by LISGIS management, was to monitor the census data collection and reporting process, understand challenges faced and how they are being resolved, and to see first-hand how citizens are being engaged on the Census.
The partners commend the people of Liberia and foreign residents for their cooperation by allowing the Census enumerators access their homes and responding patiently to their questions. They have further called for sustained efforts from everyone involved in the exercise to complete the remaining enumeration and transmission of the data collected to ensure that the process results in the availability of good-quality data.
They were also impressed with the census field staff for their diligence and commitment to duty despite the challenges they faced in the field.
Additionally, they were pleased to see the innovative community mobilization activities to spread awareness about the Census and encourage people to participate.
Reflecting on his visit, the Swedish Ambassador Urban Sjöström said: “During our visit to communities in Greater Monrovia, Congo Town Township, Paynesville Township, and Todee District in Montserrado County, we met committed census field staff who demonstrated the competence and commitment to ensure the successful completion of the Census. Sweden is happy to see the Census moving forward and that some counties have nearly finished counting their constituents. We need to sustain our efforts to the finishing line.”
USAID Mission Director Jim Wright: “I am visiting Lofa this week, where I received a briefing on the census from the County LISGIS Director, who told me that nearly 100% of households in the county had been counted. He attributed this achievement to strong support from local officials and an effective media campaign that used community radio to educate people about the importance of participating in the census. I am impressed by the performance of the LISGIS Team here, and I strongly believe that other counties can learn important lessons from the reasons for Lofa’s success as they conduct their own census.”
World Bank Liberia Country Manager Khwima Nthara said: “It is pleasing to see that after initial teething problems, significant progress has been made in the enumeration exercise. All stakeholders must be commended for the roles they have played in resolving the challenges. The results of the Census will be critical to Liberia’s development planning and resource mobilization.”
UNFPA Liberia Country Representative Bidisha Pillai: “UNFPA remains committed to supporting Liberia to deliver a credible census that upholds international principles and standards and produces data for development. The institution of several processes leveraging technology is greatly facilitating the Census this time around. The use of technology makes it possible to continuously assess coverage, data quality, and correct errors and inconsistencies while enumerators are still on the field. Despite the initial challenges, good progress has been made, and sustained efforts will result in the muchneeded data; essential for development planning.”
From:
Ms. Bidisha Pillai,
Resident Representative
UNFPA
Mr. Khwima Nthara,
Country Manager
World Bank
H.E Urban Sjöström Ambassador
Kingdom of Sweden
Mr. Jim Wright
Mission Director
USAID
