Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) delaying its Population and Housing Census, which will no longer take place in August this year because of budgetary constraints, has serious implications for planning and mapping out the trajectory of the country, analysts say.
The census has already been delayed for two years, with the 2021 census delayed mainly due to competing priorities such as the Covid-19 as well as budget prioritisation.
Accurate census data is valuable and essential for economic development, transportation, healthcare, education and business planning and decision-making. Government agencies use census data to inform their planning, enforcement and policy decisions.
Omu Kakujaha-Matundu, an economist and academic from the University of Namibia, told The Namibian that a census is an important planning tool for the government and local and foreign investors.
“But I think there are other pressing needs than a census. If you don’t have money, you don’t have money,” he said. The NSA can still use some statistics to come up with projections for planning purposes, he added.
Kakujaha-Matundu said the money used during the census could have been a good stimulus for the economy, as unemployed youth, were eagerly awaiting an opportunity to earn some money.
“Could the census not be conducted at lower cost? Sometimes we just like to overbudget. We have to learn to live within our means and do more with less,” he said.
Simonis Storm Securities researcher Ngoni Bopoto said no one can ever underestimate the importance of data for informed decision making. “The overall NSA allocation should be seen within the context of the NPC and the fiscal environment, rather than an indication of data priority,” he said.
In a statement last week, statistician general Alex Shimuafeni said the census was not provided for in the 2022/2023 national budget due to financial constraints and other critical national priorities.
“With regards to when the census will take place, the NSA will keep the media posted once this information is available from the National Planning Commission (NPC) through which the NSA is funded,” Shimuafeni said.
NSA manager for corporate communication Iipumbu Sakaria said the census provides data crucial for planning but stressed that it has not been done away with.
“It is only not affordable this year but might be at another time.
“The NSA still produces various economic, spatial, demographic and other data which is important for planning,” he said.
Sakaria added that the NSA had a resource mobilisation in February 2020, and raised a substantial amount in resources and pledges. “The NSA will continue to raise funds where it can in order to produce statistics needed for development,” he said.
Ministry of Finance public regions officer Wilson Shikoto said the NPC is part of the budgeting process, therefore they are able to respond to any financial issues related to the NSA. NPC director general Obeth Kandjoze did not respond to questions.
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