Largest ever census beckons

• By Hilary Mare

NAMIBIA Statistics Agency (NSA) board chairperson, Salomo Hei has said that this year will see the NSA deliver the largest ever census in Namibia at the backdrop of a new strategic plan that is set to be unveiled in March.

In a statement this week, Hei affirmed that the preparations of the census are well on course strengthened by a well-run mapping process.

“We would like to express a word of gratitude to the Namibian government and especially the National Planning Commission under the leadership of the director general Honourable Obeth Kandjoze for making available the budget appropriation on this very important exercise.

We would also like to thank the development partners and their continued support to this end. The private sector that came on board through generous donations are highly appreciated,” he said adding that statistics are increasingly shaping our decisions, interactions and progress.

“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.”

Hei went in to highlight that over the past few months, NSA has been busy developing a transformational new strategy that puts the agency on course to deliver a professional service around institutional reform, which is ambitious, inclusive and sustainable.

“The new strategic plan is a mechanism for identifying opportunities, driving progress, and delivering work of influence and impact.

At the centre of our new strategic plan is a commitment to ensuring our work has a positive impact on the lives of Namibians now and into the future. The new strategic plan will be launched at the end of March 2022, and the NSA is well positioned to play a key role in how we, as a country, tackle the challenges, and embrace the opportunities presented by the changing world we find ourselves in,” he said.

In closing, Hei expressed: “I want to end with a word on the staff of the NSA, because the gains we are making and will continue to make depend on our people. Across the institution we have a depth of exceptional talent that points to a culture of opportunity, development and achievement. My thanks go out to all the staff who have worked hard, embraced change, and will be an integral part to a successful year at the NSA.”