EDITORIAL: The things we take for granted
Last week, Auditor-General Junias Kandjeke was reportedly ‘gatvol’ about the lack of accountability in the Namibia public sector.
And we understand his frustration. Kandjeke uncovers rot in public institutions every other week but there is no corresponding number of people being taken to task for what has become a complacent culture in our country.
They say culture eats strategy for breakfast and, in the case of Namibia, truer words have never been spoken.
In Namibia, when institutions cannot account for millions of dollars for which they were custodians, they simply shrug their shoulders and move on. Responsible individuals are not suspended, arrested or asked to pay back the money.
Ironically, they are given more piles of public resources to manage in a perpetual vicious cycle of maladministration, abuse and theft.
Just a week ago, it was reported that billions of dollars - which government had to pump into especially the country’s health and education systems to mitigate the unforeseen impact of Covid-19 - resulted in unauthorised overspending of about N$1.1 billion in the 2020/21 financial year.
But Namibians have become so trapped in this culture they no longer see the need to ask questions. And the thieving officials know this. That’s why they continue to do whatever they wish with our resources, knowing the hullaballoo will be shorter than Frans Kapofi’s Swapo vice-presidential bid.
And we understand his frustration. Kandjeke uncovers rot in public institutions every other week but there is no corresponding number of people being taken to task for what has become a complacent culture in our country.
They say culture eats strategy for breakfast and, in the case of Namibia, truer words have never been spoken.
In Namibia, when institutions cannot account for millions of dollars for which they were custodians, they simply shrug their shoulders and move on. Responsible individuals are not suspended, arrested or asked to pay back the money.
Ironically, they are given more piles of public resources to manage in a perpetual vicious cycle of maladministration, abuse and theft.
Just a week ago, it was reported that billions of dollars - which government had to pump into especially the country’s health and education systems to mitigate the unforeseen impact of Covid-19 - resulted in unauthorised overspending of about N$1.1 billion in the 2020/21 financial year.
But Namibians have become so trapped in this culture they no longer see the need to ask questions. And the thieving officials know this. That’s why they continue to do whatever they wish with our resources, knowing the hullaballoo will be shorter than Frans Kapofi’s Swapo vice-presidential bid.
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