The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development said it will look this month into a proposal by an umbrella body representing local authority councillors, which is seeking a pay, increase for the part-time politicians.
The ministry’s executive director, Daniel Nghidinwa, confirmed they undertook to revert to the Association of Local Authorities in Namibia (Alan) later this month.
“As indicated in the ministry’s response to a media enquiry by The Namibian of 24 February 2021, while the government through the urban and rural ministry is open to listen to concerns of affected parties, the portfolio minister will take into account the public interest and the prevailing economic situation in the country,” he said. Alan president Katrina Shimbulu in February vehemently defended a proposal to the government to consider approving a proposed matter, indicating the recommendation was benchmarked against allowances of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and the Botswana Association of Local Authorities (Bala).
“Local authorities are the spheres of government closest to the people.
The notion of a developmental local government, therefore, is important in guiding and ensuring a system that is committed to working with communities to meet their social, economic and material needs sustainably and improving the quality of their lives,” she explained in the proposal also seen by
New Era.
“During the determination of the proposal below, serious consideration has been given on the financial sustainability, noting the economic challenges that smaller local authorities are experiencing.”
– ljason@nepc.com.na