SONA expectations very high

All eyes will be on President Hage Geingob this afternoon when he delivers his second State of the Nation Address in the National Assembly. At the official opening of parliament in February this year, Geingob gave the assurance that he will use the State of the Nation Address to highlight a number of issues in the country. There is indeed a massive weight of expectation, which includes improving livelihoods and above all, the continuation of building a prosperous progressive and righteous society. Unlike last year when he used the State of the Nation Address to largely launch his Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP), Geingob will have to change his tune this time around and account for the real state of the nation on the ground, especially regarding the performance of the economy and the country's finances. People would want to know what the reality of the state of Namibia's economy is. With thousands of jobs shed over the past 12 months, the head of state must tell the nation how the government intends to stimulate growth so that the economy can create much-needed jobs. Are programmes aimed at alleviating poverty in the country sustainable and working? It is no secret that thousands of Namibians continue to wallow in abject poverty, chiefly due to a lack of employment. So expectations are high that Geingob will highlight government interventions to address bread and butter issues in his long-awaited speech. Socio-economic transformation is not negotiable given the widening gap between the haves and have-nots, which has led to Namibia being one of the countries with the highest levels of income inequality. The reality of the state of Namibia's sport sector is also quite stark, and many administrators and enthusiasts are looking forward to a special mention on this topic, one that will hopefully lead to a change in the status quo. The head of state needs to go beyond the usual rhetoric. It is time for action, particularly when it comes to ensuring that public service delivery is improved and corruption is reduced.