The Namibia Statistics Agency’s board chairperson Salomo Hei said with 2024 being an election year, it is important to make sure that the Population and Housing Census (PHC) 2023 data is available to assist the process so that the end meets the means.
“Good and timely statistics enable us to make better, more informed choices about the things that matter most in our society, economy and livelihoods. It is critical that all Namibians have access to statistics they can trust,” said Hei in his New Year’s message issued recently.
The NSA carried out the largest-ever census in Namibia in 2023. On behalf of the board, he expressed gratitude to the Namibian government, President Hage Geingob, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises Iipumbu Shiimi, and the National Planning Commission (NPC) under the stern leadership of director general Obeth Kandjoze for availing the budget appropriation for this very important exercise.
The NSA also thanked their development partners for their continued support to this end, as well as the private sector institutions which came on board through generous donations.
“I am, therefore, privileged to have this opportunity to extend heartfelt congratulations to all our census staff and the statistician general, the Namibian people regardless of race, creed, colour and gender, for the extraordinary and sustained effort over the last year, which has enabled the NSA to execute its mandate.”
Hei reported that the Post-Enumeration Survey for the PHC 2023 started earnestly and has progressed significantly, “as a consequence of which we have accumulated invaluable experience of the do’s and don’ts to have quality census data”.
“At no other point in time have we ever been as well-placed as we are today to take decisive forward steps towards data-induced policy interventions”, he added.
He noted that the good that has been done puts into very sharp relief everything that still has to be done to release the PHC results.
The 2023 PHC was a highly technical process which started with the “listing phase” (which is the identification of houses, from 18 to 24 September 2023 in an enumeration area, as well as the making of appointments for the actual enumeration to take place from 25 September 2023 to 22 October 2023, including the mop-up).
The Census Reference Night (CRN) was on 24 September 2023, and it is the night on which the census counting started.
“In our endeavour to leave no one uncounted, the CRN also included travellers at roadblocks, birth-giving mothers in maternity wards, lodgers in various accommodation establishments, and the homeless.”The PHC 2023 had a situation room which tracked progress in the field,and provided support where it was needed. The PHC 2023 created over 13 000 jobs, which was the single-biggest job driver for 2023. This was a broad-based exercise wherein recruitment came from over 8 000 enumeration areas. The transport services provided followed the same approach, and it was geared to make sure that all Namibians participate and share in the national project.
The chairman noted that there were challenges as well, and some were linked to the refusal of some households to be enumerated. However, this was dealt with swiftly and promptly.
Hei added that the delayed payments to enumerators and transport services were as a consequence of due diligence and verification in order to provide the necessary accountability to public finance, and the Namibian people.
He mentioned that this year is their final term as the NSA board, and it has been quite a journey.
“We held together through some stormy seas, and my gratitude goes out to the NSA management and the board for making the ship sail. And at the end, together, we are reaching our destination”.
“We have done our part, and as former American president Ronald Reagan said in his farewell speech in 1989, ‘we weren’t just marking time, we tried to make a difference’. We made the NSA stronger, we made the statistics available, and we hope to leave the NSA in good hands.”