2015-03-20Staff Report 2 WINDHOEK - Incoming President Dr Hage Geingob yesterday announced government’s new structure comprising new ministries, while he also announced the names of members of the new Cabinet to serve under his administration. He had last week announced Dr Nickey Iyambo as the Vice-President, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila as the new Prime Minister and Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as the Deputy Prime Minister. Nandi-Ndaitwah will also head the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation. The other newly renamed or created ministries are the Ministry of State Owned Enterprises, the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation, the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, the Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation, the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development, the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Job Creation, Ministry of Land Reform and the Ministry of Sport, National Services and Youth. The Ministry of Veterans Affairs has been reduced to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The department will be headed by a deputy minister and will be based in the presidency. Tom Alweendo will be the Minister in the Presidency responsible for National Planning. He also announced that the attorney general position, which is currently attached to the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, will from now on be a standalone post to ensure quicker turnover time of legal advice. While explaining the role of those forming part of the executive, Geingob said Iyambo will be his primary adviser and confidant regarding all state matters and will be required to provide ad-hoc leadership on unforeseen issues, which require the intervention or assistance of the president. The prime minister on the other hand will continue leading government business in parliament. Kuugongelwa-Amadhila will from now on also be the person to which the yet to be named secretary to Cabinet will be reporting. As for Nandi-Ndaitwah in her position as deputy prime minister, Geingob announced she would lead the newly renamed Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation in order to advance Namibia in the international arena. It will replace foreign affairs. Geingob said the new government structure would be costly, but he assured the nation costs associated with the addition of new structures would be kept to a minimum. “Democracy, governance and effective service provision require supportive structure and institutions that come at a cost. It is envisaged that through faster implementation, cost savings for the economy at large will be realised, through growth, improved job creation and improved service delivery,” elucidated the incoming president. Geingob did not name all the deputy ministers yesterday as all posts have not been filled yet. He also did not indicate who he wants to serve as attorney general, a position held by the newly appointed Minister of Justice, Dr Albert Kawana. Geingob also mentioned Cabinet will be streamlined to ensure effective and informed decision-making. “The Cabinet as chaired by the president will delegate some of its authority to deliberative sessions chaired by the prime minister and will comprise of the full Cabinet. “These sessions will be empowered to invite experts from the private and public sector for engagement on technical issues,” said Geingob. He said the move is aimed at de-cluttering the work of Cabinet and to allow the President to chair an efficient Cabinet, which is fed with cabinet documentation which is well-informed and ready for decision-making. 2015-03-20Staff Report 2
