Home Affairs to close three more offices
The Ministry of Home Affairs is to close three little-used local offices, minister Frans Kapofi said while motivating the ministry's budget vote in the National Assembly.
He said it was a drain on resources to keep these offices open.
“During the financial year 2014/15, after careful evaluation, the ministry took a decision to gradually close some of the sub-regional offices temporarily. The decision was based on a very low number of registrations and the escalating costs of maintaining the offices in comparison to the number of users,” said Kapofi. “Keeping a staff member to register one child per week did not result in value for money but also under-utilisation of staff members. Keeping some of the sub-regional offices operational up to three weeks without any registration of births is not sustainable taking into consideration the meagre resources,” he added. The ministry closed the Impalila office in 2014 and the Chetto office in 2016, both situated in the Zambezi Region. This was followed by the closures of the Talismanus office in November 2017 and the Kamanjab office in September 2017. The offices at Aminuis, Karibib and Linyanti will be closed on 1 May. Mobile teams would visit these areas instead, Kapofi indicated. “We plan to intensify rural outreach programmes during the 2018/19 financial year.”
Outreach programmes to Talismanus, Aminuis, Rosh Pinah, Karibib, Okalongo, Uukwiyuushona, Omulonga, Ndiyona, Impalila and Sibbinda were planned, he said.
There would also be visits to schools across the country to register pupils for identity documents.
“School mobile registration is planned countrywide for schools in towns and in distant rural areas. A total of 11 000 learners are targeted. A general mobile registration is planned for the regions of Ohangwena, Kavango East, Kavango West, Zambezi, Omaheke, Oshana, Omusati and Kunene,” said Kapofi.
To carry out these activities, a total of N$234 million would be required, Kapofi said.
OGONE TLHAGE
He said it was a drain on resources to keep these offices open.
“During the financial year 2014/15, after careful evaluation, the ministry took a decision to gradually close some of the sub-regional offices temporarily. The decision was based on a very low number of registrations and the escalating costs of maintaining the offices in comparison to the number of users,” said Kapofi. “Keeping a staff member to register one child per week did not result in value for money but also under-utilisation of staff members. Keeping some of the sub-regional offices operational up to three weeks without any registration of births is not sustainable taking into consideration the meagre resources,” he added. The ministry closed the Impalila office in 2014 and the Chetto office in 2016, both situated in the Zambezi Region. This was followed by the closures of the Talismanus office in November 2017 and the Kamanjab office in September 2017. The offices at Aminuis, Karibib and Linyanti will be closed on 1 May. Mobile teams would visit these areas instead, Kapofi indicated. “We plan to intensify rural outreach programmes during the 2018/19 financial year.”
Outreach programmes to Talismanus, Aminuis, Rosh Pinah, Karibib, Okalongo, Uukwiyuushona, Omulonga, Ndiyona, Impalila and Sibbinda were planned, he said.
There would also be visits to schools across the country to register pupils for identity documents.
“School mobile registration is planned countrywide for schools in towns and in distant rural areas. A total of 11 000 learners are targeted. A general mobile registration is planned for the regions of Ohangwena, Kavango East, Kavango West, Zambezi, Omaheke, Oshana, Omusati and Kunene,” said Kapofi.
To carry out these activities, a total of N$234 million would be required, Kapofi said.
OGONE TLHAGE
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