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*CONCERNED STUDENTS SIERRA LEONE CONDEMN 2021 MID-TERM CENSUS PROVISIONAL RESULT*

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As University students across the country, we have been constantly following with serious interest in respect of development unfolding under the administration of President Bio primarily that which anchored around the highly controversial and flawed 2021 Census interval which was forcefully imposed on the people of Sierra Leone.

While we commend the President for his foresight intention in using the census outcome to initiate informed decisions and other sparking national development strides in accordance with the aspirations of citizens, we have noted in bold terms that the said exercise was never forward looking by the inhabitants from the onset hence, its met with poor participation nationwide. And for which we have been consistently making our position for its cancellation.

Following the recent publication of provisional result of the said infamous census, we have witnessed overwhelming public outcry and objective criticisms from the student's community, local and international civil society organisations, development experts, Members of Parliament, reputable public authorities including the 13 Coalition of Progressive Political Parties in the country after noting numerous inadequacies, flout of longstanding processes and procedural structures and its obvious distance to international accepted standards.

The appalling discrepancies evident in the provisional result is unbelievable, distasteful and treacherous thus, the result has been subjected to wider condemnation. We mark that insisting to use the result for gerrymandering purpose as well intended by the government will dangerously threaten the security, peace and good order of Sierra Leone and as a result, we modestly call on the President to annul the census and distance himself from its implementation.

Worst to note is that, the process lacked legal efficacy as it was never in conformity with section 10 (1) of the Statistics (Act No.13 of 2002) and the mechanisms set for the conduct never fulfilled section 2 (a - h) of the Census (Act No.14 of 2002) and above all, the Census procedures did not gain the spirit and letters of section 108 (2)(b) of the 1991 constitution of Sierra Leone (Act No. 6 of 1991).

In Africa, places such as Nigeria under the leadership of General Yakubu Gowon in 1973, the Census result was annulled because its met with public controversy. In 2010, the Kenyan government also annulled the Census result due to concerns that the Somalis in the country had been over-counted. In case of the 2021 provisional result of the Mid-term Census, it is clearly seen that there was deliberate over-counting in the South-East of the SLPP strong hold and a significant plummet in densely populated areas such as Western Area and the North respectively. Historically, Western Area and the North have been always populated compared to any other places in the country.

As a democratic state that prides itself on the Rule of Law, inclusive governance, international best practices, respect for public opinions and human rights, we sincerely draw the attention of the President to null and void the Census result.

As University students, we submit that protecting the development of past governments and securing the future of Sierra Leone must not be compromised, and squarely noting that our honest ambition for national service after our academic sojourns is imperative hence, we believe our timely intervention for such a courtesy call is extremely eminent.

Therefore, we believe that effort of this sort ought to be diverted towards strengthening and enhancing the *Student Loan Scheme,* improve on the immediate public necessities, address the abysmal inflation rate, unhealthy water system in the cities and rural areas, education, health, energy, transportation, domestic food supply, technology and foreign investment programs.

To this end, we accentuate our clarion call to the President, stakeholders and our international moral guarantors to ignore the entire Census process and provide an enabling leadership with the object to divert any unpredicted outcome from the students community and the general public.

*CC: The President*
*Vice President*
*British High Commissioner*
*US Ambassador*
*World Bank Representative*
*UNFPA Country Representative*
*African Union*
*ECOWAS*
*The Public*

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