Niël Terblanché
Neville Andre, the governor of the Erongo region, stressed the vital importance of effective public administration in shaping the future of Namibia, while officially opening a five-day workshop in Swakopmund aimed at enhancing public service delivery.
The workshop, hosted by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economics and Public Administration, is centred around the theme, “Maximizing the Potentials of Public Administration, Public Service Management, and Public Service Delivery in Namibia.”
Andre stressed that a well-functioning public administration is essential for the efficient and transparent operation of any government, including Namibia’s.
“An efficient, responsive, transparent, and accountable public administration is of paramount importance for the proper functioning of the nation,” he said.
While highlighting the importance of the workshop, Andre said that the discussions and decisions made during the event would have a lasting impact on Namibian institutions and communities.
He expressed confidence in the workshop’s program, which addresses key issues such as the structure of government institutions, the relationship between political leadership and management, financial accountability, corruption, the decentralization of services, and the digitalization of public services.
He said the event provides an opportunity to examine and improve Namibia’s public service administration and aims to foster collaboration among participants to find common ground on addressing the challenges facing the country’s public administration.
“Let us use this opportunity to make meaningful progress,” Andre urged while also calling for a proactive approach to ensuring that Namibia’s public service is responsive to the needs of its citizens.
Andre also took the opportunity to commend previous parliamentary committee workshops held in Swakopmund, such as the Joint Parliamentary Standing Committees Workshop on Maximizing the Potential for the Mining and Energy Sectors in Namibia, and the consultative workshop on the Financial Institutions and Markets Act (FIMA).
“The reports from these workshops had been discussed and adopted in the National Assembly, and he looked forward to receiving copies of the reports,” he said.
Andre called on all participants to engage openly and constructively throughout the workshop while also stressing the importance of collaboration in finding solutions to the challenges facing public administration in Namibia.
He expressed confidence that the outcomes of the workshop would play a crucial role in shaping the future of public service delivery in the country.
“This workshop is a vital step toward improving public administration in Namibia, ensuring that the government can effectively meet the needs of its people through better governance, transparency, and accountability,” he said.
