Windhoek
Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila yesterday announced the appointment of seven new permanent secretaries.
Eight incumbent permanent secretaries were redeployed to new ministries, while five of them remained in their usual postings.
The new permanent secretaries are Etienne Maritz (Executive Director, Office of the President), Dr Moses Maurihungirire (Fisheries), Dr Alfred Adriaan van Kent (Higher Education), Sanet Steenkamp (Education, Arts and Culture), Bro-Mathew Shinguandja (Labour), I-Ben Nashandi (Poverty Eradication) and Willem Goeieman (Works).
The eight accounting officers that were redeployed to other ministries are Dr Malan Lindeque (Tourism), Frans Tsheehama (Public Enterprises), Peter Amutenya (Land Reform), Alfred Ilukena (Youth and Sport), Gabriel Sinimbo (Trade), Simeon Negumbo (Mines and Energy), Kahijoro Kahuure (Office of the Prime Minister – Cabinet Secretariat) and Peter Mwatile (Office of the Vice-President – Veterans).
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said the redeployment of some accounting officers should not be taken as a demotion or promotion for any of them.
The deployment and redeployment were also not done because of perceived differences between ministers and their accounting officers, and neither were they prompted by perceived corruption amongst some permanent secretaries.
She assured the public that accounting officers would be held accountable for their performance in terms of performance targets under the performance agreements reached between them and government.
With the Public Procurement Bill set to be tabled in parliament soon, the prime minister said the Bill seeks to limit the participation of permanent secretaries in the management of the state procurement system.
“Currently the Tender Board is made up mainly of permanent secretaries, but the Bill will make it difficult for them to abuse their positions to enrich themselves,” she said.
Although there have been court challenges against the Tender Board that have emanated from the awarding of state contracts, the PM said the fact that the board has been vindicated most of the time shows that it is a transparent body.
“In some cases the Tender Board was asked by the courts to reconsider its decision but we never had a case where a member was found to have colluded with outsiders to promote their interests.” “But of course permanent secretaries are human beings and they are vulnerable to be corrupted,” she said.
She also announced that the term permanent secretaries would change once the Public Service Act is amended.
The review will also entail measures aimed at halting the process of suspended civil servants going on full paid leave for lengthy periods, which cost taxpayers millions over the years.
The permanent secretaries of the ministries of health, finance, home affairs, safety and security, ICT remain in their current ministries.