Windhoek
The Namibia Statistics Agency on Friday, November 20 celebrated the Africa Statistics Day at the UN Plaza in Katutura.
The event, which kicked off with a parade through Independence Avenue, saw the Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, Dr Zephania Kameeta, share some personal experiences of interactions from the recently concluded countrywide dialogue on poverty eradication.
He reiterated the importance of producing statistics that speak about the real life situation and the plight of the nation. “As I was delivering my speech across the 14 regions of Namibia during the said dialogue, I was quoting the national statistics on the status of poverty in the country. “However, as I was observing the extent of poverty on the ground and from the faces of people, I came to the realisation that national statistics somehow mask the real situation on the ground in which our people find themselves” he said.
On his part Acting Statistician General Sikongo Haihambo stated the need to embrace modern technology in the collection and presentation of the success of statistics depends on the way in which they are able to collect, process, safeguard and disseminate information.
“To be a centre of excellence in statistical delivery nationally and to accomplish its goal of becoming a recognised statistical office in Africa and beyond, the capacity of the activities of agency has to be strengthened through the effective use of existing Information Communication Technology (ICT) for its data collection, data capturing, data processing, analysis and dissemination” the acting SG said.