OMUTHIYA -The Namibia Statistic Agency (NSA) needs an estimated budget of N$1.1 billion to successfully rollout the three phased 2021 Namibia Population and Housing Census (PHC). The amount to spread over five financial years, 2019/20 to 2024/25 includes N$159 264 million for a pre-census for 2019/20 to 2020/21, and N$930 114 million for the main census enumeration, and a further N$12 481 million for post-census.
NSA representative Pauline Enkono during a regional workshop in Omuthiya, said for the 2019/20 financial N$98 842 million is needed, however government was only able to provide N$80 542 million, thereby leaving a shortfall of N$18 million.
According to the 2011 national census, the population in Namibia was 2.1 million. This will be the fourth census to be conducted in an independent Namibia.
“Meanwhile, government was only able to provide a budget allocation of N$808 883 million for the 2021 main census enumeration, presenting a gap of N$121 231 million. Government has not made any budget provision for the post-census which would require an estimated amount of N$12 481 million, because it is outside the Medium Term Expenditure Framework. So that is why we are here in the regions to present and solicit how we can breach the budget deficit,” stressed Enkono.
Enkono added that, among other objectives of the workshop include creating awareness on the 2021 population and housing census on regional level, inform regional stakeholders on upcoming census mapping exercise in September this year, as well as soliciting inputs on the draft of the 2021 PHC main questionnaire.
Furthermore, it is meant to solicit support and partnership in an effort to mobilize resources and advocate participation in the implementation of the three phases of the census.
She further revealed that the main census will require a total of 11 500 field census staff, 11 000 tablets for data collection, satellite imagery, 2400 vehicles, training venue and accommodation of field staff. Enkono added that these are the census required support, hence she appealed to various stakeholders to come on board and assist either with fleet, staff, venues or gadgets. She also noted that NSA still needs N$2 million to contribute to the remaining amount of the satellite imagery licence for National Development Plan 5.
She also said, NSA will move away from paper trail census to digital.
“2021 PHC will be first to be paperless, using computer assisted personal interview technology to collect data. This has proven to be good and reliable as it has been used in NSA various surveys. We will also use modern satellite imagery to conduct pre-enumeration census mapping and location demarcation. Therefore, the statistics will be linked to spatial locations, which is good for development planning and decision making at all level. All small things will be captured,” she stressed.
The census will provide national sampling frame, dwelling unit frame, business register, data set monitoring and evaluation of NDP5, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
and Agenda 2063, among others new things.
“Hence without a census that can provide relevant, accurate and timely population data at the lowest level, our ability to monitor the progress towards meeting the SDGs will be constrained,” she noted.