Sinimbo urges data‑driven budgets at NSA meeting

NKURENKURU, 27 MAR (NAMPA) - Kavango West Regional Governor Verna Sinimbo has called for budget allocations to be guided by the 2023 Population and Housing Census results, saying public spending must reflect the specific needs of each region.

She made the remarks at a Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) meeting held in Nkurenkuru on Friday.

Sinimbo welcomed the findings, citing Kavango West’s population of 123 266, and urged NSA officials to ensure that planning is aligned with evidence.

“The regional profile is more than numbers,” she said. “It is a roadmap for sustainable and inclusive development that must guide planning and resource distribution.”

She added that current budget allocations may not adequately respond to the realities reflected in the data, calling on the National Planning Commission (NPC) and regional planners to base decisions on statistical evidence.

“I am not convinced that the current budgets fully respond to the needs shown by data,” she said.

Sinimbo further called on government offices, local authorities, civil society, the private sector and communities to interrogate the report and act on its priorities.

“Data must move off the page and into visible improvements for residents,” she said.

She also pledged regional support for future data collection efforts, emphasising that accurate and timely statistics are essential for effective decision-making and development progress.

“I encourage all leaders and citizens to read the Kavango West Regional Profile and use it to lobby for resources and implement targeted interventions,” she said.

The NSA presented the full census results alongside the Kavango West regional profile, noting that the indicators will assist policymakers in planning and monitoring development across the region.

Nkurenkuru councillor Gabriel Tenga, however, questioned aspects of the data and called for more inclusive planning processes.

“Leaders must be given the opportunity to plan for their next five years,” he said, adding that development platforms should include the National Planning Commission.

Tenga also raised concerns about the accuracy and coverage of the census data.

“I do not believe that the National Planning Commission really is 100 per cent interested in the statistic,” he said.

He further disputed elements of the enumeration process, stating that he was not counted and claiming that enumerators did not reach all areas.

“I do not believe we have that population number in Kavango West. That’s the wrong statistic already to me and it’s unreliable,” he said.

Tenga highlighted a tertiary education completion rate of 4.4 per cent as a concern and warned that youth unemployment, estimated at 52 per cent, could contribute to rising social challenges, including crime and unrest.
(NAMPA)
JLN/HP