RUNDU – Tondoro constituency councillor and chairperson of the Kavango West regional council Joseph Sikongo said it is high time that the home affairs ministry stepped up its game on service delivery.

He stressed that at the moment, the region is being offered poor service of the highest order, and it has urged the incumbent minister to take action.

“The situation at home affairs Nkurenkuru is not comfortable. 

I would like to urge the minister of home affairs and immigration to employ staff who can serve citizens, be it with the capturing of ID cards, issuing of birth and death certificates, and more,” he stated.

Sikongo said there are only two dedicated staff members who serve the whole region. 

“I feel pity for them, as they are working as if they are dying tomorrow because the numbers that they are covering on a daily basis are not fair. I don’t think any of us in Namibia can do that, though we are saying let’s do more with less. When the number of people is too many, whatever you do, you won’t just make it,” he observed.

“I want to urge the minister to employ more people. Two years ago, we visited the ministry in Windhoek with the aim of addressing the issues of staff shortcomings,” he continued.

Sikongo said many people visit the home affairs’ office daily and go home without being served – and the next day, they must get public transport to go back to Nkurenkuru from various villages again until they have been assisted.

“Comrade minister, take my word. I am really disappointed by the way your ministry is dragging out the appointment of staff at your Nkurenkuru office. Please consider us; we are dying and our communities are complaining. The service at home affairs, comrade minister, is not there. We are not complaining for the sake of complaining,’’ he emphasised.

Sikongo said when the region is complaining, the central government must listen, and he also complained about the building the ministry operates from where the air-conditioning and air circulation are an issue. 

“People are packed in there, and they are just sweating,” he added.

When contacted for comment, home affairs minister Albert Kawana refused to say anything on the matter.

 He, however, will be undertaking a trip to Kavango West during the second week of December, and he will have an engagement with the regional leadership, where all will be discussed and cleared.

“I will be coming to the region to have a meeting with the Kavango West regional council. You must come and cover that meeting”, he said.

-jmuyamba@nepc.com.na