WINDHOEK – More than 5 500 employees left their government jobs in 2013, a report by the Public Service Commission (PSC) indicates.
The previous year, 3 829 employees left government employment, the PSC said.
PSC chairperson, Eddy Amkongo, has expressed concern over the alarming rate at which government is losing employees, saying this could affect service delivery.
He urged government to spend more money on training programmes.
Several factors cited to have contributed to the turnover include job dissatisfaction, death, resignations, early retirement, abscondment, dismissal, medical discharge, emigration, transfer, contract ending and search for greener pastures.
Amkongo yesterday, during an interview with New Era, expressed disquiet over the situation.
“It [high staff turnover] is a worrying trend but it is always a norm that people leave and people come.
“What we can do is to improve the conditions of service if the economy is doing well because most people leave for greener pastures,” said the former diplomat.
In 2013, the number of staff members in the public service stood at 64 753. This number excludes members from the Namibian Defence Force, correctional services, NamPol, and political office-bearers.
The report indicates that most turnovers occurred within non-managerial positions where a staff turnover of 5 462 was recorded compared to the 44 turnovers in managerial positions.
Women make up the highest portion of the turnover, with 3 553 female turnovers compared to 1 953 males.
The country’s two key ministries – education and health – have been hardest hit by staff turnover, with education losing 3 644 staff members while health lost 1 052. Critics have attributed this to the fact that although nursing and teaching are declared as essential services, teachers and nurses continue to linger at the very bottom of the country’s income pyramid, hence most of them are always on the lookout for better paying jobs.
Apart from improving conditions within the public sector, Amkongo also pointed that initiating reforms within the public sector is another option.
“But we need to be mindful that all those factors can also cause an exodus because change is not always liked. There will be those who are scared that they may be affected if they do not perform, but then again that trend will always be there,” he said.
Amkongo further stated: “Although it is not difficult to find people to recruit in the public sector, the most difficult part is finding possible recruits who are specialists in certain fields, this can be specialists like doctors and veterinarians.”
He says the situation has in recent years forced government to recruit people from abroad.
The annual report indicates that fields like engineering, law, medicine, veterinary science, arts, humanities and general science are some of the fields where foreigners are employed most because of a shortage of suitably qualified and skilled Namibians with the required expertise.
According to the report, in 2013 there were 620 foreigners employed under contract in the country.
“At least now we have Nipam, which is dedicated to train staff members within the public sector. We hope the situation can be mitigated as time goes on,” said a hopeful Amkongo.