The National Civil Society Council of Liberia (NCSCL) says despite the ups and downs that have since characterized the 2022 National Housing and Population Census (NHPC), it is calling on Liberians of all walks of life to fully participate in the process to be counted and with full details taken.
It can be recalled that President George Manneh Weah by Proclamation, last week declared Friday, November 11, 2022, as “National Census Day” purposed for the start of the HNPC.
The Proclamation called on all ministries and agencies of government, enterprises (Large or small), the patriotism and loyalty of every citizen and to the goodwill of every foreign national as well as local government officials to assist the census authorities in explaining, influencing, and endorsing the participation of everybody in this massive, national undertaking, given the advantages and usefulness of the Census to the overall national socio-economic development of the country.
The proclamation was then cemented by the Liberian Legislature, which comprises the Houses of Representatives and the Senate, passing a Joint Resolution for the kickoff of the process, which would continue up to January 15, 2023.
Accordingly, NCSCL in a statement and signed by Chairperson, Loretta Alethea Pope-Kai, pointed out that the process is of great significance to the overall growth and development of the country, and as such, the Council is soliciting the full participation of all Liberians.
She said like in any given society, the ongoing process aims to provide information on the age and sex distribution, in addition to household composition and size, all of which are vital in determining the needs of different segments of the population.
Pope-Kai stated that the CSO Council stated that the population census plays a major role in the allocation of elected political seats in government, noting that Liberians must get fully involved as the process is cardinal to the ensuing 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections.
“While there have been and are still some shortcomings in the process, the National Civil Society Council of Liberia sees the ongoing census as a vital process to the growth and development of Liberia. This process provides the opportunities for us to know our own developmental challenges and to make determination on a way forward. Therefore, it is incumbent upon all Liberians to turn out to be counted,” the statement indicated.
“Furthermore, the census is critical to our political process especially as the country is readying for the 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections,” the Council noted.
Meanwhile, for Liberia, the objectives of the census according to the Proclamation, are among other things to; participate in the 2020 round of the World Population and Housing Censuses, provide up-to-date information of demographics, economic and social amenities, know the present size and structure of the population and its spatial distribution among counties, districts, clans, cities, townships, and localities, provide a benchmark on which monitoring and evaluation of various national and international development goals could be based (i.e. AfT, National Vision 2030, SDGs, AU Vision 2063, etc), construct an updated master sampling frame for future sample surveys and develop a geo-referenced spatial database on current statutory boundaries, localities, and social amenities.
