Oshakati
The Minister of Home Affairs and Immigration Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana has implored staff to cut down on excessive overtime claims and to focus on people-centred projects.
She made the appeal to senior staff attending the budget planning and performance management retreat at Oshakati, where she insisted she wants to see a reduction in unnecessary personnel expenditure.
Iivula-Ithana advised the ministry’s management to plan appropriately, spend within the budget allocated and be compliant with the financial watchdogs.
“All allocated landline and cellphone credit to different staff members … must be reduced from where it is today to a lower rate,” said Iivula-Ithana.
She also spoke out against underspending and appealed to participants to avoid ambiguity and unrealistic budgeting during the four-day deliberations.
The meeting was attended by managers and heads of department in the ministry from all 14 regions.
Iivula-Ithana, who was very vocal on ensuring that planned projects are successfully implemented, also appealed to staff to comply with the subsistence and travel allowance (S&T) circular, which calls for cost-cutting.
Similarly, the minister implored the managers at the bud-get planning meeting to set up a budget which is people-centred and ensure that what is implemented is budgeted for.
“I am optimistic that as Team Home Affairs we have the capacity to spend within the allocation and to do more with less. Remember, the more we plan in advance, the more organised we will be, as planning ensures successful execution,” said Iivula-Ithana.
The permanent secretary in the ministry Ambassador Patrick Nandago said the meeting will also take stock of what was planned during 2015/16 and a comprehensive review of the planned activities will be conducted.
Managers are expected to sign their performance agreements.
Speaking on behalf of Oshana Region Governor Clemens Kashuupulwa, the special advisor to the governor Michael Mwinga applauded the ministry for having reduced the long queues in the five past years.
The ministry previously received praise for having reduced the amount of time it took to issue birth and death certificates, IDs, passports and other documents.