Govt sets record straight on civil servants housing

Staff Reporter 

WINDHOEK- Government says it has no plans to reduce or cancel housing benefits of civil servants.

Prime Minister, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila took exception to recent media reports suggesting that government is contemplating discontinuing the civil servants housing scheme as part of fiscal consolidation efforts. 

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila in a statement on Tuesday said the state laws, specifically the Labour Act, does not allow unilateral withdrawal of benefits of employees.  She said government, as an organ of the state, respect state laws and does not act contrary to the provision of the laws.

“I wish to assure the nation that there is no such intention to cancel or reduce the government housing subsidy and appeal to civil servants to ignore the rumours which seems to be aimed at confusing the public,” she said.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila uses the opportunity to rebut claims that she announced that public servant are non-performing and as a result will receive no remuneration adjustments.

“Negotiations for adjustment of remuneration and benefits of public servants are conducted between the government and the recognised trade unions for the public servants (Napwu and Nantu) at an agreed platform,” she said.

She explained, recently, discussions took place at Parliament on a proposed amendment to the Public Service Act, where Parliament approval was sought for the re-designation of the title of Permanent Secretary to Executive Director and for such appointment to be made on a fixed term contract.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila says conclusion of the debate on this bill was a parliamentary approval of the bill, to effect these two changes and nothing else.

“Government will continue to engage with the recognised trade unions, with whom it is already engaged, not only on remuneration and benefits of the civil servants, but also on economic and other challenges facing our country,” she said.
“Government is hoping to have an amicable solution which will serve the interest of both the public sector employees and the entire Namibian nation as it has always been the case,” she concluded.