Ministers stripped of 4x4s

JEMIMA BEUKESAbout seven ministers and 15 deputy ministers may be discarded or redeployed elsewhere after President Hage Geingob announced changes to the structure of government yesterday, including cutting ministries from 26 to 19.Ministers in the new cabinet will no longer be allocated off-road vehicles. Geingob said this is because most of the country’s roads are tarred.“They will still get the Mercedes sedans. Do you want us to give [them] donkeys carts?” Geingob quipped yesterday during an announcement that included the merging of several ministries.The number of ministries in his new administration after his unorthodox indoor inauguration this Saturday at State House, necessitated by a 30-day ban on large gatherings because of the coronavirus outbreak in the country, will thus be reduced from 23 to 19.Geingob also reiterated that the private sector must create jobs.“Government is not the creator of jobs.”He also said the government cannot manage its wage bill, due to cost and “duplication”.“Namibians do not think of retirement. Some people do not even have their own houses or cars.”Commenting on the recommendation of the high-level panel on the economy that land in urban informal areas should be donated free of charge to those living on it, Geingob said: “Land free of charge is a tall order, but unless we address that issue, we will not have peace in this country. We have to take care of informal settlements. We will see that informal sectors are serviced.“We would really like to deal with this issue (in an) orderly (fashion). I want to target (the) Mix (settlement) and that will serve as an example.”Geingob said inequality remains his biggest worry. And the lack of unity among Namibians has started to bother him.“It is a shame that youth are becoming tribalistic. I would like Namibians to hold hands… Pre-independence Namibia and independent Namibia are worlds apart.”Geingob announced that the home affairs and safety ministries will merge, as well as the defence ministry and the department of veterans’ affairs.Land reform will merge with the agriculture and water ministry, but the new entity loses the forestry portfolio to the environment and tourism ministry.The ministry of international relations remains unchanged, along with finance, while the SME development component of industrialisation and trade has been escalated to the presidency.Also unchanged is the urban and rural development ministry, the health ministry, education, arts and culture, higher education and the works and transport ministry.Untouched are the ministries of mines and energy, fisheries and marine resources, justice, labour, industrial relations and employment creation, public enterprises, sport, youth and national service and information and ICT.“I will, in due course, announce the appointment of the vice-president, prime minister and the deputy prime minister. After being sworn in on 21 March, I will then announce the appointment of cabinet ministers and deputy ministers,” Geingob said.

Ministers stripped of 4x4s

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-02

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Ministers stripped of 4x4s

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-02

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