Walvis Bay
The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Immigration, Erastus Uutoni, says the upgrade and roll-out of the border control management system that will more efficiently prevent criminals from entering the country is at an advanced stage.
Uutoni was speaking at the official opening of a sub-branch of the ministry in Kuisebmond on Monday morning.
The branch, which is located at the Walvis Bay municipal building in Kuisebmond, will render much-needed services to the community.
The new offices will be able to issue birth certificates, identity documents, marriage and death certificates – thus residents would no longer need to travel to town or Swakopmund to access such services.
Uutoni said Namibia is currently upgrading its border control measures to ensure that those entering the country are not doing it under false pretences to engage in illegal activities.
“We don’t want people to come here illegally and conduct illegal churches in our country and scam our people. That is why we are updating our border control systems,” he explained. He added that the new border control measures will also enable the ministry to render efficient services to tourists entering the country.
“This demonstrates the commitment and dedication of our government to ensure that Namibians and our visitors receive efficient and timely civil registration and immigration services in a much more conducive environment,” Uutoni said.
The home affairs deputy minister further stated the ministry is committed to institute measures to facilitate lawful migration, as well as to effectively coordinate operations in support services needed by asylum seekers and refugees.
“Namibia like any other country welcomes migrants as tourists and sometimes with essential skills to help fill the skills gaps in our labour market and realize our developmental goals as stipulated in Vision 2030. Skills importation must however be done lawfully in terms of immigration control. In terms of the above we are at an advanced stage to upgrade and roll out the border control management system in order to facilitate lawful migration,” he said.