WALVIS BAY – Cabinet secretary George Simataa urged public servants to make the government visible to citizens and share success stories of their respective ministries and regions through media channels.
Public servants should carry and diffuse the values of the nation and contribute to the bonding between the State and the citizens, he stated while addressing executive directors and chief regional officers at their two-day retreat, which concluded on Sunday in Swakopmund.
“In this regard, I want to encourage you to go on radio and TV to talk about what you do for the nation. Let our citizens know what you do for them. The public service has many good and successful stories to tell, but just because we don’t talk about them, we are condemned daily,” Simataa stated.
He observed that the public service is the implementing arm of the government, and everything which has to be done to develop the country and deliver services to the people depends on the work of public servants.
“The government provides services like education, health, safety, transport, water, electricity, welfare and housing on a massive scale. Hence, public servants have an enormous task and play an essential role in making service delivery work for the people. The public service cannot be successful without developing more specialist skills in designated functions and areas and removing any barriers to the progression of technical and specialist grades within the system. Therefore, we should ensure that we look after our public servants well, and reward those who are excelling well in their work, as being appreciated is important,” Simataa emphasised.
He also called on the executive directors of ministries and chief regional officers to tackle the pressing issue of poor service delivery in the public sector, emphasising the need for collaborative efforts to address challenges and deliver effective solutions for the benefit of the Namibian people.
No ministry, agency or regional council can solve today’s challenges alone.
“It takes all of us working together. Working together lies at the heart of solutions if we as leaders are to break down the barriers between our respective entities and adopt a holistic approach to problem-solving,” he reasoned.
The secretary to Cabinet furthermore outlined specific goals for the retreat, including the reenergising and refocusing of leadership to mobilise public servants, and gain a better understanding of the interconnected elements necessary for a high-performing public service.
Highlighting concerns about the maintenance of existing infrastructure, Simataa cautioned against neglect, stressing the importance of collaboration to avoid blame-shifting, and encouraged the leaders to take responsibility for the legacy they leave behind.
“The existing challenges in addressing poverty, health, education, job-creation, food security and infrastructural development need a united effort to find solutions to these issues, and emphasises the importance of sustained political commitment, leadership, effective coordination and innovation in driving successful policy implementation,” he stated.
Addressing the widening inequality among social groups, he underscored the need for quality-of-life programmes and called for increased collaboration and teamwork among stakeholders in the social sector to prevent the loss of human lives.
- edeklerk@nepc.com.na