Martin Endjala
President Hage Geingob today told ministers who disagree with decisions made at cabinet level to resign. Geingob says it is the duty of ministers to infact advocate and defend such decisions as they are binding.
Geingob made the remarks at the first 2023 Cabinet session held at state house.
“Being a member of the cabinet should never be about advancing personal interests or those of family, friends or associates. It is not about advancing your own personal agenda and therefore, as I have stated before, if you disagree with a collective decision taken and agreed upon by cabinet, you are free to resign
We can disagree, you can debate but once a decision has been taken, that decision is binding and you should even go and advocate and defend it. If you disagree you have to resign. You cannot disagree with a collective decision and stay around here,” Geingob maintained.
The president stressed that he has confidence that the efforts made over the years aimed at ensuring public trust are steering cabinet in the right direction.
Geingob further cautioned the Ministers to be team players.
“Some ministers when they report on success stories, they say, “My Ministry.” If they have to report to negative reports they say, “the Government.” He urged his ministers to be part of the collective. The president instructed his ministers to defend government in the media. He gave as an example the NBC programme, Talk of the Nation. “Some of you when requested to appear on that programme and defend government, you refuse to go,” Geingob reiterated.
Additionally, he emphasized that cabinet is not a one-man show, but rather a collective effort, which is entrusted by the public to put the needs of the people as a priority and to never account for their own personal agendas.
“You must resign if you cannot agree with your fellow cabinet members, why must you stay in a place that you are not happy?,” Geingob remarked.
Furthermore, he stressed that no matter what, they must deliver, as they are the keepers of public resources, which they are trusted to ensure that it benefits all and the country economically.
Geingob declared this year a year to accelerate the pace of implementation as well as regular checks of ministries, as well as to call people to account and to formulate the necessary objectives to ensure that implementation is being carried out.
He has since called on ministers to start thinking outside the box and formulate new ideas which will steer the country in a positive direction.
