NSA allocated N$ 706 million to conduct censes

• By Erasmus Shalihaxwe

MINISTER of Finance Iipumbu Shiimi, has allocated the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) with N$ 706 million in order for the institution to conduct the National Population and Housing Census which has been postponed multiple times due to lack of funds and Covid-19 disruption.

While presenting the N$ 4 billion mid-term budget in the National Assembly this week, Shiimi, announced that an allocation has been made to the amount of N$ 706 million for NSA to conduct the important national population and housing census.

He said other government institutions such as TransNamib and Namibia Student Financial Assistant Fund will get an additional fund of N$ 531.1 million to run their affairs, while about N$ 99.

3 million will be spent on buying government assets.

A national census was supposed to be conduct in 2021, however the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted it and was postponed to 2022.

However, earlier this year, head of NSA Statistician General Alex Shimuafeni, announced that the exercise would be called off due financial constraints as the institution needed a total of N$106 million to reach a set target of N$ 606 million to drive the national population census.

While responding to the minister’s announcement, NSA Senior Communications Officer, Esther Simasiku, said the institution welcomes the allocation as it will help NSA carry out its mandates but could not reveal much until an official communication by the ministry is made.

“NSA appreciates the commitment by the Namibian government on the allocation of funds towards the undertaking of the Population and Housing Census.

We however are not able to comment on the allocation of funds because we have not received any official communication on the subject. NSA will keep the nation informed with the census undertakings in due course,” said Simasiku.

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