By Catherine Sasman
OSHAKATI
The National Planning Commission (NPC) introduced councillors, development planners and policy implementers to its general-purpose database system last Friday.
The database system is used for the collation and presentation of data on human development in Oshakati.
Government agencies use Naminfo and a geographical information sstem (GIS) for advanced planning, organising, staffing supervising, budgeting and coordinating.
The GIS is a computerized information package superimposed in a geographical map that stores data and information.
The Naminfo/GIS system was introduced by the Central Bureau of Statistics of the NPC to improve accessibility, sharing and standardization of geospatial data and statistical data in Namibia.
The NPC said that the availability of accurate information allows regional development and sectoral planners to meaningfully map out strategies for immediate social and economic undertakings.
These new tools have been introduced at national and regional levels to promote the use of such data in daily planning, monitoring and evaluation of Government’s programmes and plans.
The Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and UN agencies assisted the Namibian Government to develop these tools.
“GIS is an excellent system of organizing and managing special information that can be mapped,” said Josephat Sinvula, Acting Director of Human Resources, Finance and Administration of the Oshana Regional Council.
“Beyond its data storage and management capabilities, GIS can integrate geographical data and statistical data that enable planners to identify where development lags behind down to the lowest geographical level of the region, given that data is available. It means that one can see immediately where development concerns are physically located, rather than relying on statistical tables only.”
He said Naminfo can be used to support data sharing at both national and regional levels and across government departments and UN agencies using the same system.
“This allows result-based management as recommended in NDP 3 [National Development Plan],” said Sinvula.
The tools need to be updated continually to be understood by policy makers and members of the public. The NPC and its partners will continue with capacity-building support and technical assistance to do that.