Windhoek
Opposition party Nudo has criticised President Hage Geingob’s selection of his ‘A-Team’, saying the appointments were aimed at pleasing and rewarding some comrades.
If that was not the aim, many of the appointed persons would not have made the cut, the party claimed.
President Geingob appointed, among others, Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) boss Albertus Aochamub as press secretary at State House and former statistician-general John Steytler as his economic advisor.
In a press statement on Saturday, party spokesperson Joseph Kauandenge said: “These appointments have nothing to do with providing an efficient team around him to carry on the task of governance.”
President Geingob also appointed Etienne Maritz as an executive secretary in the Office of the President, Daisry Mathias as advisor on youth matters, Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi as public sector advisor and Penny Akwenye as policy advisor on implementation and monitoring.
“Presidential advisors have been a practice employed for generations even in developed democracies around the world, however in the case of the President’s appointments it is hard to comprehend, digest and best of all to understand his logic in ratifying these appointments,” Kauandenge said. He said Nudo is particularly concerned with the high wage bill associated with these appointments and the benefits that are reported to increase the total government wage bill to N$23 billion per year.
“It is sad to note that your spoken words and your actions are heading on a collision course and the only damage to be inflicted will be to Namibia and its citizens,” he added.
He further said the party finds it hard that the President speaks of eradicating poverty yet in the same breath he dishes out advisory positions left, right and centre.
“To an ordinary layman these appointments do not make any sense at all, hence it is evident that many of his so-called advisors will be paid handsomely without actually doing anything to deserve their pay cheques at the end of the month,” he said.
He said President Geingob’s lofty ideas of poverty reduction therefore remains a cosmetic futile exercise.