Dr Hage Geingob became Namibia’s third democratically elected president on March 21, 2015. The following is a summary of what President Geingob’s government has achieved during his first 100 days in office.
THE PRESIDENCY
Office of the Vice President
The Vice President put in place a structure and recruited staffs in existing posts.
Veterans Affairs
• Since March 2015, 789 veterans have been accorded veteran status. A total of 18,000 applicants have been vetted and are awaiting confirmation of their status. An additional qualifying 297 veterans were added onto the payment system for a monthly grant, bringing the total number to 13,147.
• A Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the University of Namibia to assist in documenting the liberation history of Namibia.
• Veterans Affairs assisted with the burial and tombs for 93 veterans. Thirteen (13) veterans received medical assistance from the Veterans Fund, 10 veterans and their dependents received counselling. Three counselling cases were referred to a psychologist for further intervention. A total of 123 veterans and dependants received financial assistance to study at local, regional and international tertiary institutions, and 13 were sponsored for vocational training. N$3.1 million was spent. During the reporting period, 953 veteran projects were funded.
• Three farms (Namkali, Saskatchewan and Sand Revier) were acquired for the rehabilitation of landless veterans and 101 sites were handed over to contractors for the construction of houses for veterans.
Integration of marginalised communities into the mainstream of the economy
• Eleven (11) regions benefited from the Education Support Fund (apart from Erongo, Hardap and //Kharas regions), with 22 students graduating in various disciplines. Facilitation of 44 nurses’ enrolment has been secured under this special programme.
• A garden was established in Namapan in Tsumkwe Constituency that has seen 22 casual workers gaining employment as part of the Livelihood Support programme. N$249,209 has been spent so far in rendering funeral assistance to accord decent burials to this special group.
• A total of 20 households from the San community in Gam have been relocated to Ondera Yahorua to participate in animal husbandry and gardening under the Resettlement Support programme. Water, tents and on-going food supplies were provided for them.
Disability Advisory Unit
• A Cabinet submission was finalised after a consultative meeting was held with the Ministry of Health and Social Services in a quest to relocate the Rehabilitation Division to the Veterans.
NATIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION • The Namibia Poverty Mapping and Namibia Index of Multiple Deprivation reports to allow, inter alia, specific targeted development interventions were published.
• NPC drafted the Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Framework to support and improve performance and accountability in service delivery to citizens.
Cooperation with Development Partners
• The Namibian-German Special Initiative Programme supported by the Government of Federal Republic of Germany resulted in the construction of Okandjira Craft Centre in Ovitoto in Omatako constituency of Otjozondjupa region to meet the needs of people living with disabilities. The programme further supported the water infrastructure project for the farmers in Nissan & Kleinhuis in Outjo constituency of the Kunene region.
• Phase one construction of the National Youth Service project at Rietfontein was completed, and funded using an interest-free loan from the Chinese government.
• The National Indicative Programme for grant support amounting to Euros 68 million for the period 2015-2020, was signed with the European Union and will focus on Education and Skills, Agriculture and building capacity in civil society organisations.
• Bilateral development cooperation between the GRN and Sweden transformed into trade cooperation.
Formulation of budget execution plans and Policy development guidelines
• The National Execution Plan was developed to guide O/M/As to comply with identified criteria and procedures for appraisal of development projects and programmes requiring funds from the Development Budget.
• Policy development guidelines were developed outlining what a policy should consist of. Its implementation action plan spells out the roles and responsibilities of each role player in ensuring GRN policies are harmonised and implemented.
OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER
• As at 23 June 2015, Cabinet has held six deliberative and five decision-making meetings. The PM chairs the deliberative cabinet meeting, while decision-making cabinet meetings are chaired by the President. Some of the main issues approved by Cabinet include the Public Enterprises Bill, Financial Services Adjudicator Bill, Namibia Risks Insurance Association Bill, Micro-lending Bill, Namibia Maritime Authority Bill, National Fishing Corporation of Namibia Bill, Marine Resources Amendment Bill, Namibia Development Agency Bill and Civil Aviation Bill.
• Other initiatives include alignment of strategic plans of O/M/A’s to the Swapo Party manifesto, measures to accelerate Urban and Agricultural Land Reform Programme, review of national Agricultural Policy, drought mitigation measures, foot and mouth disease control, sales and marketing agreement between government and De Beers Societe Anonyme, as well as Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East Africa Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) Tripartite Free Trade Agreement (TFTA). Also accomplished were the subscription of shares in international development finance institutions (NORAD and ADB), formula for State funding of political parties and the appointment of board members of various institutions.
Disaster Risk Management
• The food commodities donated by the Federal Republic of Nigeria were distributed to all regions during March 2015. Purchased 11,522 metric tonnes of grain from government silos at the cost of N$41,094,100, which was allocated for milling at a cost of N$6,766,513 and distributed to affected communities on an ongoing basis. The distribution of bags of maize meal are being carried out in Khomas, Omaheke, Erongo/Karas, and Hardap regions at the cost of N$3,531,412. Tins of fish were also allocated to all 14 regions.
• Conducted training and assessment on Food and Nutrition Security Monitoring in Zambezi, //Karas, Omaheke, Kunene, Ohangwena and Omusati regions. The training is to be extended to other regions. Trained Regional Disaster Risk Management Committees in Omaheke //Karas, Hardap, Kunene, Khomas on development of Multi-Hazard Contingency Plans as preparatory measures for disaster management
• Conducted awareness programme on Disaster Risk Management Act No. 10 of 2012 at the Ministry of Health and Social Services; Ministry of Environment and Tourism; Kunene Regional Council; Omaheke Regional Council and Khomas Regional Council
• Commissioned regional Strategic Disaster Risk Management Warehouses in Hardap and Oshana Regions.
• Reviewed the New Equitable Economic Empowerment Framework (NEEEF), which is to be submitted to Cabinet and a bill subsequently tabled in the National Assembly before September 2015.
Public Service Management and Administration
• Created an enabling policy environment for the public service, and supported the effective implementation of such policies, by among others, readjusted and re-organised offices, ministries and agencies as per the announcement by the President. In terms of section 5 (2) of the Public Service Act, the structure of the following OMAS were created: The Office of the Vice President; the Ministry of Public Enterprises; the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture; the Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation; the Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service; as well as the Ministry of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare. Final round of appeals for regrading were implemented.
• Started with the process of negotiations for salary and benefits improvements with the recognised trade unions for the financial years, 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017/18.
• Transferred the functions of San Ovatue and Ovatjiba programme and Disability Advisory Unit to the Office of the Vice President; also transferred the Food Bank Project to the Ministry of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare.
Legislative Review
• Amendments to the Public Service Act 13 of 1995 were done, incorporating among others, the compulsory declaration of interest by Public Servants, and to institutionalise Performance Management, with a view to improve service delivery, ensure value-for-money and instill ethical practices in the public service.
Personnel Related Cost Saving Measures
• A report has been finalised on cost-saving measures regarding personnel expenditure in the Public Service, and will be tabled to Cabinet.
Framework for Declaration of Interest by Public Servants
• Established a framework for declaration of interest by Public Servants and amendment to Regulation 11 under the Public Service At of 1995 to compel Public Servants to declare private interests and engagement in remunerative work outside the public service by end of June 2015.
Capacity Building
• Facilitated capacity-building through the Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management (NIPAM), NIPAM trained a total of 1,037 participants across the public sector in performance management, presentation skills, business communication and leadership, business process re-engineering, board corporate governance, ICT et al.
• Held various engagements with stakeholders and undertook missions in the country and abroad.
MINISTRY OF INDUSTRIALISATION, TRADE AND SME DEVELOPMENT
• A new Investment Promotion Bill that will replace the current Foreign Investment Act, as well as a bill to establish the Namibia Industrial Development Agency (NIDA), that will replace the current Namibia Development Corporation and the Offshore Development Company, has been presented to the Cabinet Committee on Legislation (CCL).
• Amendment to the Bill to establish the Business and Intellectual Property Authority has been done; and the drafting of a Competition Policy has been completed
Industrialisation Agenda:
• An action plan for implementing the Growth at Home Strategy for industrialisation was developed and finalised on 30 June 2015.
• Screening of value-addition and processing options for most important industrial minerals produced; as well as consultations on the leather-skin-hide-wool industry were conducted. An analysis of the current diamond value-chain was completed.
• Through the SME support programmes assisted 420 SMEs to the value of N$14 million investment promotion and facilitation.
• A business and investment mission from Finland to Namibia was facilitated.
• Consultations with O/M/A’s on enhanced compliance monitoring of foreign investors were completed.
Regional integration:
• A public seminar on the industrialisation strategy and roadmap for Namibia was successfully held.
• The Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) was launched and the agreement signed at a summit of Participating States in Egypt in June 2015, and negotiations towards a Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) were launched at the AU Summit in June 2015.
International trade and trade promotion:
• A trade and Investment Cooperation MoU with Angola has been drafted, waiting to be signed.
• The Zambian counterparts were engaged on the possibility of sourcing grain, cereals and animal feed into Namibia, and to cooperate in the value-addition to copper ore.
• 92 SMEs have been supported to participate at local trade fair events and 19 SMEs to promote their manufactures at international trade exhibitions to the value of N$ 93,700 and N$ 277,786 respectively.