NSA launches national geographic portal – Namibian

Business | 2017-08-23Page no: 13

THE LAUNCH ... (From left) The deputy director for spatial data and national spatial data infrastructure Namibia, Alex Mudabeti, Khomas police regional crime investigations coordinator, commissioner Silvanus Nghishidimbwa, Information minister Tjekero Tweya, Land reform minister Utoni Nujoma, economic planning minister Tom Alweendo, Florette Nakusera, NSA board chairperson, NSA surveyor general Ndilipunye Shanyangana and statistician general Alex Shimuafeni at the launch of the national geograph

THE Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) on Monday launched the online national geographic portal (geoportal), which will help citizens to search and evaluate data from different government institutions.

The portal will also help citizens link map browsers through Digital Namibia, which is found within the platform that permits the visualisation and analysis of core data.

The platform can be accessed at Geofind.nsa.org.na.

Speaking during the launch, land reform minister Utoni Nujoma said Namibia is committed to building soft infrastructure of government spatial data which will reflect a digital Namibia.

Together, as a network of government institutions, we can heighten a culture of evidence-based development planning, decision-making and policy formulation.

Spatial data, also known as geospatial data or geographic information, is data or information that identifies the geographic location, features and boundaries on earth, such as natural or constructed features and oceans.

Nujoma said launching the national geographic portal shows that all government ministries will live up to their mandate in maintaining and providing data to avoid promoting a redundant system that is populated with outdated information which does not live up to the government's mandate.

He applauded the Namibia Spatial Data Infrastructure team under the NSA, as well as economic planning minister and director general of the National Planning Commission, Tom Alweendo, and information minister Tjekero Tweya for their commitment towards the realisation of the platform.

This high level of commitment should serve as a pillar of hope and source of motivation to all of us to continue working in the best interests of our country, said Nujoma.

Speaking at the same event, Alweendo encouraged various government ministries and agencies to partner NSA to have full access to the portal.

He also urged citizens to be concerned with the quality of data that the portal will provide, adding that people and government ministries and agencies should make the best use of the platform. Nampa