Govt plans survey on national pride

THE Ministry of Information and Broadcasting plans to conduct a survey in order to find out how Namibians “view nationhood and national pride.”

The Ministry called on institutions and individuals who have experience in research to develop a “mini survey” that ministerial staff can use to test the nation’s views. “The Ministry is in the process of developing a campaign on nationhood and national pride,” an advertisement placed in the Government newspaper stated.”The campaign will address issues of what it is to be a nation, what is the role of the individual in the nation and what are the issues preventing Namibians from sharing national pride or belonging (to the nation),” the advertisement outlined.The survey, which will be in the form of a questionnaire, will also examine how crime, vandalism, environmental degradation “and other negative issues impact on the nation and how these can be combated.”Information Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah however announced last week that yet another survey would start soon.”It is a service delivery survey which will be conducted together with the Multi-Disciplinary Research and Consultancy Centre of the University of Namibia (Unam),” the Minister told reporters at a press briefing.”Our Ministry thought it appropriate to approach the population to measure whether the services that we are rendering meet the expectations and aspirations of the majority of our citizens, especially those rural communities that have always been marginalised with respect to receiving information.””We want to determine whether the news, videos and other information produced and disseminated by the Ministry and media houses (in the country) meet the national demand for access to adequate information to empower our citizens to make meaningful contributions to the democratic processes and national development of the country,” Nandi-Ndaitwah explained.The survey will also determine accessibility to affordable information and communication technologies and training opportunities in this field.It will also try to ascertain the kind of information the population want to see on the government website.The cost implications for these two surveys are not yet known.”The Ministry is in the process of developing a campaign on nationhood and national pride,” an advertisement placed in the Government newspaper stated.”The campaign will address issues of what it is to be a nation, what is the role of the individual in the nation and what are the issues preventing Namibians from sharing national pride or belonging (to the nation),” the advertisement outlined.The survey, which will be in the form of a questionnaire, will also examine how crime, vandalism, environmental degradation “and other negative issues impact on the nation and how these can be combated.”Information Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah however announced last week that yet another survey would start soon.”It is a service delivery survey which will be conducted together with the Multi-Disciplinary Research and Consultancy Centre of the University of Namibia (Unam),” the Minister told reporters at a press briefing.”Our Ministry thought it appropriate to approach the population to measure whether the services that we are rendering meet the expectations and aspirations of the majority of our citizens, especially those rural communities that have always been marginalised with respect to receiving information.””We want to determine whether the news, videos and other information produced and disseminated by the Ministry and media houses (in the country) meet the national demand for access to adequate information to empower our citizens to make meaningful contributions to the democratic processes and national development of the country,” Nandi-Ndaitwah explained.The survey will also determine accessibility to affordable information and communication technologies and training opportunities in this field.It will also try to ascertain the kind of information the population want to see on the government website.The cost implications for these two surveys are not yet known.