Iipumbu Sakaria
Namibia will conduct its 4th Population & Housing Census this year from the 18th September to 3rd November 2023. That will be the enumeration, or counting period, as well as the quality assurance exercise known as the post-enumeration survey. It is the time when census enumerators will be visiting all households in Namibia. It is a legal requirement to conduct a population and housing census, and the statistics collected are used for input to assist our development goals. The census provides accurate population counts for planning and decision-making, as well as valuable data for socio-economic and demographic research. Such data is used by businesses, Governments, students, planners, and all others for their own and society’s good.
The first census after independence was conducted in 1991, followed by the second one in 2001 and the third one in 2011. Namibia is known to have a small population, which stood at 1. 4 million in 1991, grew to 1.8 million in 2001 and stood at 2. 1 million in the last population and housing census in 2011. Statistics need to be updated regularly, hence the critical importance of conducting a census this year. The information to be collected deals with the number of people in the country, their age structures, whether they are male or female, and where they live. It will also deal with employment information, education levels, fertility, mortality and migration information. The housing component of the census will deal with the housing and living conditions of the country. It will look at the housing conditions the population lives in, for example, is this a house or a shack, does it use zinc or bricks, what is the condition of access to water, electricity and sanitation, and income? It will also look at what the access of the population to information and telecommunication technology is. All these types of information, amongst others, is what the census will collect during the enumeration process.
Therefore, during the census enumeration, our fellow Namibian citizens, hired for this purpose, will be coming to your households and ask you questions that deal with these demographic, social and economic information. To conduct a census is a legal requirement under Section 7, 2(d) of the Statistics Act, No.9 of 2011. Section 39 of that very same Statistics Act also requires that such information be provided voluntarily. This is because the law provides for penalties for those who unreasonably resist cooperating with such a national exercise. Information is, by law, under section 44 and 45 of the Statistics Act, required to be confidential. An oath of secrecy for all staff and enumerators and the anonymising and encrypting of data are mandatory. So yes, your information is legally very safe. The vacancies have been advertised, and those who meet the requirements are encouraged to apply so that you become part of the enumerators for this year’s census. The applications are through the official website of the Namibia Statistics Agency, www.nsa.org.na, and not through links that are used as scams.
Enumerators will be recruited, and training will take place. Then, the teams will be dispatched into all corners of our vast country. As time goes by, information will be shared to update and inform the population more about the census. In the meantime, if you need any statistics or information, please do not hesitate to contact our offices, either telephonically, in person or digitally until the time comes when you ensure that you play your part, and be counted as part of the population of Namibia.
*Iipumbu Sakaria is the Manager of Corporate Communications at the Namibia Statistics Agency.