Read my lips, we can keep a secret: NPC director

THE 2002-2003 Household Income and Expenditure Survey, currently underway countrywide, is experiencing “isolated” incidents of non co-operation from members of the public.

National Planning Commission Director General Immanuel Ngatjizeko says some people are reluctant to allow NPC officials access to their premises and information. According to him: “[There are] various reasons such as tax evasion, questionable sources of income and therefore the reluctance to disclose (information).”Ngatjizeko yesterday updated journalists on the progress of the data-gathering exercise which started in July last year and is expected to be completed in September.”I wish to call upon you [journalists] to help us in persuading those few members of the community who are reluctant to provide information for whatever reason,” he told journalist at a media conference in Windhoek.The NPC chief went to great pains to try and assure members of the public that their information would be held in strict confidence, in accordance with the Statistics Act of 1976 which provides for such protection.”In fact, returns from such collections cannot be used as evidence in any prosecution… therefore adequate protection is given to respondents,” he added.Ngatjizeko revealed that the survey officials were also encountering cases where some people were providing “fake” information.He cautioned that they were committing a serious crime and that, if convicted, culprits faced heavy penalties.The main objective of the Household Income and Expenditure Survey is to enable Government and other developmental stakeholders to monitor their socio-economic performance and evaluate the extent to which they achieve targets of poverty reduction as set out in the National Development Plan-two (NDP2).Ngatjizeko said the data collected would also assist Government to identify development areas requiring immediate intervention.Information being gathered through the survey includes household composition, demographic and educational characteristics, economic activity, housing conditions and amenities, as well as household income and expenditure.According to him: “[There are] various reasons such as tax evasion, questionable sources of income and therefore the reluctance to disclose (information).”Ngatjizeko yesterday updated journalists on the progress of the data-gathering exercise which started in July last year and is expected to be completed in September.”I wish to call upon you [journalists] to help us in persuading those few members of the community who are reluctant to provide information for whatever reason,” he told journalist at a media conference in Windhoek.The NPC chief went to great pains to try and assure members of the public that their information would be held in strict confidence, in accordance with the Statistics Act of 1976 which provides for such protection.”In fact, returns from such collections cannot be used as evidence in any prosecution… therefore adequate protection is given to respondents,” he added.Ngatjizeko revealed that the survey officials were also encountering cases where some people were providing “fake” information.He cautioned that they were committing a serious crime and that, if convicted, culprits faced heavy penalties.The main objective of the Household Income and Expenditure Survey is to enable Government and other developmental stakeholders to monitor their socio-economic performance and evaluate the extent to which they achieve targets of poverty reduction as set out in the National Development Plan-two (NDP2).Ngatjizeko said the data collected would also assist Government to identify development areas requiring immediate intervention.Information being gathered through the survey includes household composition, demographic and educational characteristics, economic activity, housing conditions and amenities, as well as household income and expenditure.