WINDHOEK – Opposition party leaders have described the 2014 budget as “impressive and bigger”, while also expressing mixed feelings over its impact on the country, especially if it is not used for its intended purposes.
The health and education ministries were specifically mentioned in finance minister, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila’s budget speech when she presented the N$60.28 billion budget that consists of N$57.69 billion for ministries’ total expenditure for the year and N$9.58 billion earmarked for development.
Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Richard Kamwi said money would never be enough when it comes to improving the health sector but he is however thankful for the N$6.01 billion allocated to his ministry.
“It will take us a long time to attend to the ailing infrastructure. But we will continue establishing new health facilities in the form of primary health care clinics in all 14 regions,” Kamwi said after the budget speech. He said the money would also help the health ministry to upgrade dilapidated health centres such as the Katutura and Windhoek hospitals. “We plan to build new district hospitals in Ondangwa, Katutura and Nkurenkuru and complete the construction of the Oshakati Intermediate Hospital,” Kamwi stated.
Education minister, Dr Dawid Namwandi, welcomed the budget and said part of the N$13 billion allocated to the ministry would go towards funding the new curriculum that will be introduced next year.
Namwandi also said more money would not solve all the challenges the education ministry faces. “Education is under construction all over the world, therefore you will not find ordinary people of any country saying the education sector is doing well,” he said.
He said the main challenges hampering education is a shortage of skilled teachers, lack of commitment from teachers and proper infrastructure. “Through decentralisation we will build more infrastructure in the rural areas to stop people from flocking to the urban areas,” he said.
Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) parliamentarian, Kandy Nehova, was impressed with the budget, especially with tax collection, infrastructural development and industrialisation but had some reservations.
“The money is there but I am not sure the capacity is there, I remain sceptical on that note. Even though the capacity to plan is there, when it comes to implementing what has been planned there will always be problems,” he said.
Nehova also questioned Kuugongelwa-Amadhila’s announcement that 83 315 jobs have been created under the Targeted Intervention Programme for Employment and Economic Growth (Tipeeg). “She must tell us how many jobs were lost because not all of those jobs created were permanent,” disputed Nehova.
He said money would not fix the broken health and education systems in the country unless those employed in those sectors starts implementing government programmes.
All People’s Party President, Ignatius Shixwameni, said the presented budget “is not a bad one” but stated that he is disappointed with the N$590 million allocated to the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement. “People are crying for land yet we are throwing peanuts at that ministry. It is high time we start taking land reform seriously because it is a ticking time bomb seeing that our people want land,” he said.
“We are talking of buying Erindi for N$1.3 billion – if we buy it then what will the ministry be left with?” questioned Shixwameni.
Shixwameni called for the allocation of the lands ministry to be increased and for government to take land reform seriously.
As for education and health, Shixwameni said throwing money to the problem is not the solution. “What we need is improved education infrastructure and motivated teachers, nurses, parents and students,” he said. Shixwameni accused public servants in the health and education sectors of underperforming.
“The president [Hifikepunye Pohamba] keeps on interrogating these two ministries yet the people working there are failing the nation, it begs the question whether we should continue throwing money. People in those ministries must pull up their socks,” he said.
By Mathias Haufiku