Tujoromajo Kasuto
Leon Jooste, Minister of Public Enterprises today tendered in his resignation to President Hage Geingob as Minister and Member of Parliament. The comes months after he announced that his ministry will be integrated as a directorate into the Ministry of Finance.
Accepting the resignation of Jooste, President Geingob lauded the valuable contributions the outgoing Minister made in setting up the Ministry of Public Enterprises and leading the Ministry with dedication.
Additionally, Geingob thanked Jooste for his determination in ensuring reforms of Public Enterprises through the enactment of the Public Enterprises Governance Act of 2019, including the successful conclusion of the mission of the Ministry.
Geingob noted that Jooste played a crucial role in nation-building and wished him well in his future endeavours. Press Secretary in the Office of the President, Alfredo Hengari also annnounced that in a letter addressed Geingob on 15 March 2022, in which Jooste informed the President about his decision to resign as Member of Cabinet with effect from 31 March 2022
Minister Jooste further informed that he would also tender his resignation as a Member of Parliament the same day. In the letter, thanking President for the confidence shown in him through successive appointments as Cabinet member, Jooste conveyed availability to serve the nation in other roles, if called upon to do so by Geingob. Jooste served as Deputy Minister of Regional and Local Government from 2004 to 2005 and Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism from 2005 to 2009. He was appointed by President Geingob as Minister of Public Enterprises on 21 March 2015 and was reappointed to the same portfolio on 21 March 2020.
He had announced last November that the High Level Panel on the Namibian Economy’s Recommendation to dissolve the ministry was endorsed by Geingob.
“Experience has shown that most of the issues encountered at Public Enterprises that warrants the intervention of the shareholder, inevitably have a financial implication. These matters consequently require the consistent attention of the Minister of Finance, and many times end up on the agenda of the Cabinet Committee on Treasury. It is therefore obvious that it is in the interest of the Minister of Finance to always be acutely aware of the status of the Public Enterprises,” Jooste said at the time.
