The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) census coordinator in the Zambezi Region has commended residents on their willingness to cooperate during the first phase of the 2023 Population and Housing Census.

Obrien Sibuku said that the first part of the exercise, which included the enumeration of the special census, was a success with minimal challenges experienced. The special census, which took place at midnight on Sunday, September 24, included visits to hospitals, guest houses, border posts, and police holding cells.

Sibuku said that besides a few refusals and limited transportation in some areas, issues of safety and security were not a concern as police escorts were available for the enumerators on the ground. Sibuku also asked residents to show the same cooperation they did in the listing phase, as enumerators are set to return to their homes for more detailed questions for the data collection process.

This phase, he said, would last about two weeks before enumerators would return to count anyone who may have been missed during the first go-around.