NDP5 gets mixed reaction
Questions are asked about the review process of the previous development planning cycle, as well as the link to the Harambee Prosperity Plan.
Opposition party leaders and social commentators have lauded the targets set out in the fifth National Development Plan (NDP5) but say it remains to be seen how well the country has fared during the previous development planning cycle.
The government has promised approximately 7 200 new homes, 6 500 serviced erven, and 40 000 new jobs per year to the end of March 2022 as part of the ambitious N$162.5 billion programme.
In total the government has committed to create 250 000 jobs in the next five years.
“NDP5 is laudable; any country must have a plan to guide its development trajectory. However, it is laughable that the previous NDP has not yet been audited. It tells you that our planning is backwards. We need to know the successes and failures of NDP 4 but because no audit of this has been done, how were the new targets for the next development planning cycle created?,” commented DTA president McHenry Venaani.
He was also of the opinion that the country did not have the requisite capacity – human capital or finances – to drive the country towards industrialisation as spelled out in Vision 2030.
Venaani said any lofty development dreams must be backed up by proper follow-through.
He mentioned as an example the fact that the South African Development Bank held shares in Rössing Uranium while no substantive Namibian institution had any shareholding in a strategic local resource such as this.
“We will thoroughly interrogate a number of flawed arguments in the development narrative of the government. While the government says it wants to narrow the gap in income disparities, it is creating poverty,” said Venaani.
Member of Parliament of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), Mike Kavekotora, shares his sentiments.
He said he had principled problems with the manner in which government's planning instruments were being devised.
Kavekotora reiterated that there had not been a proper review of NDP 4, which he felt should have been done before the NDP 5 was drawn up and announced.
Moreover, he said, it was not clear how all the development plans tied in with each other or with the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP).
“Are we doing justice to Vision 2030 if you just come up with a development instrument that does not correspond with others?” Kavekotora questioned.
He said it appeared as if the various development plans set different targets like the mass-housing target of the NDP's as opposed to the targets set in HPP.
“As far as I'm concerned it is all just fake,” pronounced Kavekotora.
“The government is always input driven as opposed to output driven. NDP 5 might have unreachable targets.”
Social commentator Uazuva Kaumbi, however, felt that the targets for the public housing sector were at least “more realistic” than previous ones, but stressed that proper monitoring and evaluation of public projects were crucial.
Kaumbi also expressed concern over what he called “fragmented” targets set out in NDP 5 and HPP, saying there were “no clear links” between these development frameworks.
He also wondered where the projected capital of N$162.5 billion would come from to reach the targets of NDP 5.
“You can dream as much as you want but if there is no money and no executive brain to see how it is all going to tie up, then it might be a problem,” said Kaumbi.
Another commentator, Brian Black, said while Namibia was “full of development plans” implementation, and therefore realisation of such plans, remained a challenge.
“Sometimes we also engage the wrong people to implement our plans,” he said, adding that the Namibian government should engage Namibian players instead of foreigners.
“We are currently exporting contracts to China. The government after independence inherited well-established and well-maintained infrastructure. The locals who have worked on those are jobless today. We are importing a little China into Namibia while the government should engage locals,” said Black.
He added: “If we want to be successful we must adopt a culture of holding people accountable, otherwise we will not eradicate poverty.”
CATHERINE SASMAN
The government has promised approximately 7 200 new homes, 6 500 serviced erven, and 40 000 new jobs per year to the end of March 2022 as part of the ambitious N$162.5 billion programme.
In total the government has committed to create 250 000 jobs in the next five years.
“NDP5 is laudable; any country must have a plan to guide its development trajectory. However, it is laughable that the previous NDP has not yet been audited. It tells you that our planning is backwards. We need to know the successes and failures of NDP 4 but because no audit of this has been done, how were the new targets for the next development planning cycle created?,” commented DTA president McHenry Venaani.
He was also of the opinion that the country did not have the requisite capacity – human capital or finances – to drive the country towards industrialisation as spelled out in Vision 2030.
Venaani said any lofty development dreams must be backed up by proper follow-through.
He mentioned as an example the fact that the South African Development Bank held shares in Rössing Uranium while no substantive Namibian institution had any shareholding in a strategic local resource such as this.
“We will thoroughly interrogate a number of flawed arguments in the development narrative of the government. While the government says it wants to narrow the gap in income disparities, it is creating poverty,” said Venaani.
Member of Parliament of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), Mike Kavekotora, shares his sentiments.
He said he had principled problems with the manner in which government's planning instruments were being devised.
Kavekotora reiterated that there had not been a proper review of NDP 4, which he felt should have been done before the NDP 5 was drawn up and announced.
Moreover, he said, it was not clear how all the development plans tied in with each other or with the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP).
“Are we doing justice to Vision 2030 if you just come up with a development instrument that does not correspond with others?” Kavekotora questioned.
He said it appeared as if the various development plans set different targets like the mass-housing target of the NDP's as opposed to the targets set in HPP.
“As far as I'm concerned it is all just fake,” pronounced Kavekotora.
“The government is always input driven as opposed to output driven. NDP 5 might have unreachable targets.”
Social commentator Uazuva Kaumbi, however, felt that the targets for the public housing sector were at least “more realistic” than previous ones, but stressed that proper monitoring and evaluation of public projects were crucial.
Kaumbi also expressed concern over what he called “fragmented” targets set out in NDP 5 and HPP, saying there were “no clear links” between these development frameworks.
He also wondered where the projected capital of N$162.5 billion would come from to reach the targets of NDP 5.
“You can dream as much as you want but if there is no money and no executive brain to see how it is all going to tie up, then it might be a problem,” said Kaumbi.
Another commentator, Brian Black, said while Namibia was “full of development plans” implementation, and therefore realisation of such plans, remained a challenge.
“Sometimes we also engage the wrong people to implement our plans,” he said, adding that the Namibian government should engage Namibian players instead of foreigners.
“We are currently exporting contracts to China. The government after independence inherited well-established and well-maintained infrastructure. The locals who have worked on those are jobless today. We are importing a little China into Namibia while the government should engage locals,” said Black.
He added: “If we want to be successful we must adopt a culture of holding people accountable, otherwise we will not eradicate poverty.”
CATHERINE SASMAN
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article