Liberia Conducts First Census in 24 Years 

Liberia has conducted its first national Census in 24 years. 

The national census was   conducted by the Liberian Institute for Statistics and Geo Information Services (LISGIS).A national holiday was declared for the exercise. 

According to government officials, the exercise will help generate accurate statistics that are vital for developmental purposes. 

The census officials solicit for information ranging from details of births and deaths, number of people in a household, their belongings and farm ownership. 

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who featured in a radio advertisement for the census, emphasised the need for people to give accurate information to the enumerators. She has said the census will provide indicators for the national government to use in planning its poverty reduction Programme. 

In recent years, Liberians have relied on statistics from United Nations agencies and other related international organisations. These have estimated the population at between 3 and 3.5 million. They have also put the unemployment and illiteracy rate at 85 percent, but such figures are not precise. 

It is hoped that this year's National Population and Housing Census will give a clearer and more comprehensive picture. 

Preparing  

Preparations for the long-awaited national exercise have been continuing for several weeks now, with LISGIS recruiting thousands of people to do the counting. Young men and women have been trooping into the LISGIS Monrovia office in search of jobs as enumerators and supervisors. 

There have, however been some problems regarding the conduct of the census. 

Thousands of people recruited to carry out the actual counting have been protesting their remuneration across the country in recent days. They say each enumerator is expected to visit 80 to 120 households a day, and that the  10 USD    they have been promised  is too meagre. 

Dr Edward Liberty, head of LISGIS, responded that LISGIS has not received all the funds it expected and cannot meet the high expectations of the enumerators.

 

 

Allafrica/AOA/ Qasim