By: Kebba Ansu Manneh
According to preliminary data, the Gambia’s population is estimated to be over 2.5 million, constituting 97% of the total population.
Nyakassi Sanyang, Statistician General of the Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBoS), has disclosed that about 97 percent of the Gambian population has been enumerated in the ongoing 2024 Population and Housing Census.
He disclosed this at a press conference held at the GBoS House on Thursday, July 25, 2024, revealing that the census data collection had been completed nationwide.
“Regarding the status of the census enumeration, we are pleased to inform you that significant progress has been made. As of Wednesday, July 24, 2024, data synchronized from the field shows that about 97% of the estimated total population has been enumerated,” Nyakassi Sanyang, Statistician General of The Gambia, disclosed.
He added: “Regarding the status of the listing exercise, evidence from Geographic Information System (GIS) cartography and the synchronized data show that 99% of structures in the country have been listed. It is important to highlight that the country’s 99% listing coverage rate is an important milestone considering that census coverages are never 100%.”
The Statistician-General called on the section of the Gambian population that the enumerators have not captured to contact his office at 1242 on or before July 31, 2024. He noted that the GBoS team is available and on standby to enumerate any household that has not been captured once notified.
He also revealed that the project implementation unit of GBoS (HISWACA) has completed the payment of all personnel recruited to work in the census in various positions for the normal census period whose names have been submitted for payment. He noted that some payments are being reviewed due to issues related to tablet manhandling and tablet and laptop theft.
The Statistician-General further revealed that preliminary results of the 2024 Population and Housing Census would be released to the general public on or before August 9, 2024, and the gradual release of the thematic reports will follow this.
“GBoS and partners will endeavor to produce all the reports within a time framework of 3 months from the end of July 2024,” Statistician-General Nyakassi Sanyang concluded.
