Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Second National Development Plan (NDP2) mid-term validation workshop at Swakopmund yesterday, Pohamba deviated from his 15-page prepared speech to correct that statement.

"In fact, it seems to me corruption has already been allowed to rear its ugly head. It has to be stopped," he said to applause from the more than 200 people attending the three-day workshop.

The President-elect spoke on what still needed to be done to lead the country to prosperity.

He said: "In all our endeavours we must recognise that the interest of society must not be compromised by individual self-enrichment."

Looking back at the implementation of the plan so far, Pohamba said one of the serious challenges during the first half was financial constraints.

"We do not seem to anticipate a significant increase in our resources in the short term".

He further referred to the "sad fact that the resources we have been receiving from some of our development partners have been steadily declining".

Further, the country faced mounting challenges and negative socio-economic consequences imposed by the HIV-AIDS pandemic, said Pohamba.

"We have absolutely no option other than adapting our mode of doing business. We have to enhance and adjust our processes to make them more efficient and effective if we are to achieve our noble goals."

He said this required proper co-ordination on the utilisation of resources to avoid wastage, and clear strategies to achieve goals.

"In essence, we must be able to measure, in tangible terms, the impact we are making on the livelihood of our people."

At the beginning of his speech, Pohamba attributed Government's achievements since Independence to the leadership of outgoing President Sam Nujoma.

"As a nation, we will forever be grateful to his immense contribution. We all have to pick up the torch and carry it forward to propel this country's engine of growth to prosperity."

Immanuel Ngatjizeko, Director General of the National Planning Commission, said that the purpose of the review was to openly measure to what extent objectives had been achieved.

For example, he said, poverty required significant attention.

He said the European Union had made 53 million euro available to address poverty within the framework of rural development.

He echoed the Minister's sentiments on the importance of setting realistic targets in line with Vision 2030.

"This is very essential considering that we have only 25 years in which we should be at the same level as our counterparts in the developed world."

Vision 2030 is intended to bring the quality of life of Namibians to the same level as people in developed countries.

The workshop is being attended by regional governors, permanent secretaries and other senior officials from Ministries and agencies, CEOs of state-owned enterprises, academic representatives and other key stakeholders.

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