NSA needs N$250 million to produce statistics

The Namibian Statistics Agency (NSA) says a shortfall of N$250 million has left them struggling to release national statistics in a timely manner.

Statistician general Alex Shimuafeni told The Namibian that for the NSA to be adequately funded, it needs a budget of N$250 million.

During the current financial year, the National Planning Commision, under which the NSA falls, received a total budget of N$232 million.

The delay has so far affected the Namibia Household Income & Expenditure Survey which was last conducted in 2015/16.

The survey should be done every five years, giving vital information on the country’s inequality status.

“When we don’t have sufficient funds, we do those reports and we do the planning,” says Shimuafeni.
The national population census was also delayed by two years because of competing priorities.

South Africa’s former statistician-general, Pali Lehohla, says Africa has seen a decline in funding of statistics and that lack of data makes it difficult to hold the government accountable, as there is no evidence to back up claims of lack of services.

“The idea of services to the people through the government disappeared and in good part because statistics were no longer funded. So it becomes very difficult for us to make decisions that basically answer to what is on the ground,” says Lehohla, adding that it is the government’s responsibility to make sure statistics are funded.

“Governments hardly ever seek a different military force in their countries. Statistics is like the military. It’s centrally the responsibility of the government,” says Lehohla.

He says governments cannot effectively plan and implement the right policies if they do not have relevant data.

“Be mindful of the fact that statistics plays a crucial role in the planning of the government. But in so many respects, statistics are always forgotten,” says Lehohla.

Economist Omu Kakujaha-Matundu says timely statistics are important for economic and business planning.

According to Kakujaha-Matundu, late statistics are useless as they no longer show the picture on the ground.

“Relevant and timely statistics are indispensable for economic and business planning,” he says.

He says the problem with delayed statistics can only be addressed once the cause is identified.

“Should the problem be known, it should be addressed with the urgency it deserves,” says Kakujaha-Matundu.

Another economist, Josef Sheehama, says NSA underfunding is considered high-risk, since it can compromise the country’s social and economic performance.

“This will impede the government’s ability to prepare ahead of time and make sound decisions,” says Sheehama.

According to him, every Namibian should have access to accurate data. “A lack of sufficient, reliable and accurate data will hinder growth and have a detrimental impact on macroeconomic variables as they are necessary to sustain the microeconomic sector,” says Sheehama.

Meanwhile, Independent Patriots for Change spokesperson Immanuel Nashinge yesterday told The Namibian that the delay of timely statistics was a mistake that should not be repeated.

He said the lack of these statistics means the government’s budgeting has left many out.

“Many people were not capable because they did not work on their old data or population, so obviously many were left out, opportunities that were supposed to be available to them, they couldn’t get them because what was budgeted for was for a smaller population,” Nashinge said.

He said the delayed census resulted in the party relooking at a budget for observers which was based on previous numbers.

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“The Landless People’s Movement spokesperson, Lifalaza Simataa, says these delays are fundamentally hampering planning.

“You always need context to provide effective planning or to provide for effective solutions. It’s quite important that when we’re trying to tackle the housing problem, poverty, unemployment, education decline or issues within education, we need to understand what these numbers look like and what these percentages are,” the spokesperson says.

Simataa says it is very difficult to have a tailor-planned solution for Namibia.

“We don’t throw out blanket policies or blanket concepts or ideas when we do not have the actual on-the-ground feel and understanding of what the context is.

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