By James Conteh
Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) has held a nationwide engagement with radio presenters, continuity announcers, and radio and club DJs to strengthen public awareness and participation in the 2026 Population and Housing Census.
The high-level meeting, organised by the Directorate of Communication and Public Relations, took place at the temporary headquarters of Stats SL at King Street, Freetown, under the theme “Partnering with Presenters and DJs to Promote and Popularize Census 2026.” Participants were drawn from Freetown and districts including Tonkolili, Port Loko, Pujehun, Kenema, and Falaba.
Discussions focused on the role of media personalities in driving national development campaigns and how radio presenters and DJs can creatively promote census participation, especially among youths, rural and peri-urban communities, and vulnerable groups.
Welcoming participants, the Director of Communication and Public Relations, Mr. Samuel Ansumana, described radio presenters and DJs as powerful voices in shaping public opinion. He said the engagement was aimed at deepening collaboration ahead of Census 2026 and informed participants that Census Night is scheduled for 1st December 2026, with enumeration running from 2nd to 14th December 2026.
The National Census Coordinator and Director of Censuses and Demographic Information Systems, Mr. Abdulai Salia Brima, highlighted the importance of census data in national planning and development. He encouraged participants to develop a joint proposal on practical strategies for taking census messages to all parts of the country.
Representing the Statistician General, Dr. Mohamed P. M. Korjie described the 2026 exercise as an “Inclusive Census” and stressed the independence of Stats SL in collecting data strictly for development purposes. He urged media practitioners to treat the census as a national responsibility.
Participants welcomed the initiative, describing it as a historic first engagement of its kind. DJs Jesse of Choice FM, Kallox of Citizen Radio, and Master Jaye of Africa Radio were selected to coordinate a joint proposal on behalf of the group and pledged strong support for Census 2026 through radio programmes, club events, and community outreach.
The engagement ended with renewed commitment from Stats SL to continue working closely with media stakeholders to ensure a successful and inclusive 2026 Population and Housing Census.
