By Emma Kakololo
WINDHOEK
Defence Minister, Charles Namoloh, declared the Rollout Phase 1 of the Integrated Logistic System (ILS) for the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) live on Wednesday.
The Federal Government of Germany is funding the process through a budget allocation of up to 2.5 million euros (N$23.7 million) to the Defence Ministry for the period 2005 to 2008. So far N$3.3 million has been spent on Phase 1.
The armed forces headquarters in Grootfontein and Walvis Bay were on Monday able to connect online to the ILS.
The process of integrating the NDF logistic system started with a pilot phase in 2004 until 2005.
The phase comprised of a feasibility study, identification of the requirements to successfully implement the new system, entering into an agreement with partners and the implementation of the project on a smaller scale.
During this phase, 50 workplaces were established; a computer-training centre at the Military School was modified; relevant licences were acquired from software houses and 200 end-users from the NDF were trained while 12 of them were certified as super-users.
After the system was found compliant with logistic principles and the Government stock control system, the first phase to roll out the system commenced in January this year.
“All institutions and installations of Defence which are connected to the new system are fully operational,” Major General Namoloh said.
The Minister said the process would not have been possible without its partners.
“The process of coming up with the system was not easy had it not been for our partners who were with us from the initial stage until today.
“We are happy with the achievement as the new system will highly benefit the ministry and the NDF in terms of punctuality, efficiency and cost-effectiveness in our logistics operations.”
Germany Ambassador to Namibia Arne Freiherr von Kittlitz und Ottendorf said the component of logistics was essential for any army to be able to stand the strain of a battle.
“Just as logistics is the backbone of any production process, so too is logistics the backbone of any military operation. Without adequate and efficient logistics no operation whether in peace-time or in times of war would be successful.”
“This is an important element in the long-standing traditional friendship between Namibia and Germany and we thank the good and trustful co-operation during the last 15 years from 1992 and 2007.”
The Ambassador also handed over additional 104 personal computers.
Rollout Phase 2, which would ensure the connection of all military institutions to the new system, would commence in January next year.