—Says What Is Being Conducted Is A Systematic Process
By: Mark B. Dumbar Jr.
MONROVIA-Acting Director of Liberia’s Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information (LIGIS) Lawrence George has proclaimed that what is being conducted is a systematic process that involved counting.
George made the statement following the regular Thursday press briefing at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism on November 24, 2022.
According to him, census-taking is a well, planned process that requires set of activities that enclose the gathering of data for national development purposes. He noted, that “census taking is not an event”.
He mentioned that there are several traumatic areas that are needed to be taken into consideration in the process.
George apologized to the general public and the business communities on behave of Liberia’s Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information (LIGIS) for any discomfort or inconvenience for some of the problems during the start of the enumeration exercise that the entity may have created at any point in time.
According to him, Liberia’s Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information (LIGIS) will continue to ensure working with International partners to ensure that best practices are made during the census data collection.
Liberia’s Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information (LIGIS) has now its own controlled command center where data is processed through the central offices every day around the country.
“Let us all take into consideration the fact that we were dealing with people and Liberia as a country where sometime we will emphasize the very thing and forget about the good processes, he noted”.
He mentioned that during the process, Liberia’s Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information (LIGIS) commences by informing various media outlets that household listing exercises are being conducted.
He furthers that the process started with the deployment of enumerators and supervisors around the country.
According to him, the National Housing and Population Census have an end date, and that end date is January 15, 2023.
He mentioned that at the beginning of the census process we found it very difficult in reaching to some of our enumerators because of the to-reach area they were carried to.
He stated, that “as the result, data connection began with the problem and at the end, some could not report data”.
“We can say to you that we have 1.6 million people who have already been counted across the country, he noted”.
George urged all Liberians to please be calm to enumerators that are in the field to carry out the counting at every home and community.
“We have now doubled our campaign about the National Housing and Population Census through the media, he noted”.
Alphonso Toweh
Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters
He holds first MA with honors in International Relations and a candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict Resolution from the University of Liberia.