Decisions of the 21st (2023) decision-making meeting held on 5 December.
Request for additional funding for water supply and water resources development and management interventions over the short-term, medium-term and long-term:
– The Cabinet acknowledged the advancements in executing water supply and resources management projects and expressed its backing for additional budgetary allocations.
– Cabinet approved, in principle, the request to deliver additional funding to comprehensively provide water to schools identified by the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture;
– Cabinet approved, in principle, the consideration for the additional funding over the medium-term expenditure framework for the finalisation of medium and long-term Water supply and Water Resources Management Interventions by the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises;
– Cabinet approved the expansion of the mandate of the Cabinet Committee on Water Supply Security to include emphasis on bulk water supply and also water supply and sanitation challenges in rural areas;
– Cabinet took note that the Water Resources Management Act, 2013 (Act 13 of 2013), and its regulations were approved on 29 August 2023, and would require the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform to implement the requirements as stipulated in the Act. The requirements include capacity development and awareness creation to ensure that the entire department is familiar with the provisions of the Act;
– Cabinet took note that the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform will utilise Section 33 of the Public Procurement Act, 2015 (Act No. 15 of 2015) to procure contracts of works, goods and services (of the drilling, pump testing, installations, rehabilitations of boreholes, modernisation of traditional wells, excavations, constructions of/and rehabilitation of earth dams, issuance of permits and licenses for drilling, water abstraction and water quality compliance) to implement the water interventions of the Government Drought Relief Programme on water countrywide;
– Cabinet took note that the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform will develop a framework agreement and seek to procure works, goods and services employing Section 33 of the Public Procurement Act, 2015 (Act No. 15 of 2015) to ensure that life or the quality of life or environment is not compromised or otherwise the condition or quality of goods, equipment, building or publicly owned capital goods may not seriously deteriorate and maintain them in their actual value or usefulness; and
– Cabinet took note that the delay in procurement is not entirely on the Offices/ Ministries/Agencies (OMAs), but largely on the awarded c o n t r a c t o r s some of whom cannot deliver. The processes of cancellation and re-advertisement harm the supply of water and s a n i t a t i o n services.
Relocation of p e r s o n s of Namibian descent from Botswana:
– Cabinet approved that the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform donates 213 bags of maize meal and 213 water purification tablets purchased for the Batswana of Namibian descent relocating from the Republic of Botswana to the Office of the Prime Minister for the Drought Relief programme, before the food items exceed their shelf life, subject to Treasury authorisation.
2021/2022: Annual report and financial statements of
Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA):
– Cabinet approved the 2021/2022 NamRA annual report and financial statement, and authorised the Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises to table the aforementioned annual report in the National Assembly.
2021/2022: Annual report and financial statements of
Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR):
– Cabinet approved the 2021/2022 NWR annual report and financial statements, and authorised the Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises to table the above-mentioned annual report to the National Assembly.
2022/2023 Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Annual Report
– Cabinet took note of the 2022/2023 ACC annual report and authorised the prime minister to table the said report in the National Assembly; and
– Cabinet directed Offices/ Ministries/Agencies to address the challenges highlighted in the Anti-Corruption annual report.
Clarification on the reported allegations of the utilisation of the National Emergency Disaster Fund for renovating the old State House:
– Cabinet took note meeting of the clarification on the above item highlighting that during the 2013/2014 financial year, ongoing projects, including the renovation of the Old State House and the Head Office of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) were budgeted for under the Office of the Prime Minister;
– Cabinet further took note that due to delays in the commencement of the projects on the renovation of the Old State House and the head office of the OPM, respectively, the funds earmarked for these projects were transferred and ring-fenced in the National Emergency Disaster Fund to ensure the continuation of the projects;
– Cabinet took note that no funds within the National Emergency Disaster Fund were diverted for other purposes, other than its intended purpose, as prescribed by the relevant establishing law(s).