SWAKOPMUND – Dr Alpo Mbambo Senior Secondary School from the Kavango East region won the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Song Competition during a grand finale held in Swakopmund on Friday evening.
The Monica Geingos and Angra Pequena secondary schools
from Otjozondjupa and //Kharas regions secured second and third place respectively, followed by Mweshipandeka High School from Oshana region in fourth place.
The competition was launched in July and is aimed at harnessing the power of art in raising awareness about corruption, its
detrimental effects on society, and the need for collective action to combat it.
A total of 55 schools from 13 regions entered the competition,
with the exception of the Kunene region.
Out of these, 33 schools participated in the first elimination
round, where 13 schools were selected for the inter-regional competition, from which the top four were chosen for the grand finale.
Speaking at the event, ACC acting director general Advocate Erna van der Merwe said the competition is one of the commission’s initiatives to respond to the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan (NACSAP) 2021-2025.
“From 03 August 2023, the ACC collaborated with key stakeholders such as the Ministry of Education, Art and Culture; Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, and the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation to promote a culture of integrity through the song competition by secondary school choirs in all 14 regions across the country,” she noted.
Erongo governor Neville Andre Itope expressed that addressing corruption is not solely the responsibility of law enforcement
agencies but should be a collective responsibility.
“Corruption has afflicted our country for far too long, hindering progress, eroding trust, and hampering the overall development of our nation. Issues such as bribery, fraud, use of office for gratification, and the misuse of public funds threaten to erode the trust between the government and its people,” he expressed.
The winners received a cash prize of N$25 000, followed by N$12 000 and N$7 500 for second and third places, respectively and N$5 500 for the fourth-place winners. All prizes are accompanied by a trophy.
– Nampa