The Statistician-General of the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), Alex Shimuafeni, has urged a group of disgruntled youth at Tsumkwe to engage them instead of picketing.

The group of youth vowed to disrupt tomorrow's enumerator training and boycott the National Housing and Population Census once it starts, citing discrimination.

Shimuafeni invited the youth to view the process of selection and the dedicated efforts they have put in place to ensure inclusivity.
 
He said the NSA has assessed all the applications based on the particular constituencies where the applicants lived.

The Statistician-General added that since the applications and recruitments were done from constituencies, the NSA used the knowledge of where the marginalised people were based, not only in Tsumkwe but in all other constituencies countrywide.

He said where they have not included sufficient marginalised people, particularly those who met the minimum requirements, dedicated efforts will be applied to include more of them, especially where translation services will be required.

Shimuafeni confirmed that he has received a concern letter from the councillor of Tsumkwe Constituency, Johannes Hausiku, who, Shimuafeni says, is aware of the arrangements being made.

He added that to ease NSA's operations, the agency is currently seized with the matter, and they will strive to include more trainees from the Tsumkwe settlement itself.