Decentralisation Is Under Siege

THE well-researched article titled ‘Ministries dragging feet on decentralisation process’ by Absalom Shigwedha of The Namibian of the 14th instantly raised more questions than answers.

Indeed, the Government adopted the policy of decentralisation in 1996 in order to bring the provision of services closer to the local communities who are the end-users. I also take cognisance of the fact that Regional Councils per se came into existence in 1993 whereas the actual implementation of the decentralisation policy, in phases naturally, was in full swing by 1998.Unfortunately, the crux of the problem, according to some pundits, lies at the door of the Ministry of the Regional, Local Government, Housing and Rural Development and in particular the Directorate of Decentralisation Co-ordination that is spearheading the process, as I will elucidate in this brief article.It is my humble opinion that the spearheading of the Decentralisation Process should have resorted under the Office of the Prime Minister in the first instance.As Head of the Public Service, this process would have been implemented at a faster pace – in just the same way that most of the recommendations of WASCOM were speedily implemented under the hand of the Prime Minister.The bottom line is that it will be wishful thinking to expect a Minister of a Ministry to “take” orders or instructions from a fellow Minister.On the other hand, if the line Ministry is not getting the necessary co-operation, why can’t it inform Cabinet accordingly; because after all, this was a Cabinet decision and those Ministries that continue to safeguard their “islands” must be accountable to Cabinet.Now you tell me, who’s fooling whom? The other issue has to do with the lack of capacity and expertise within the created Directorate of Decentralisation Co-ordination itself of the Ministry.There are a lot of Namibians with impeccable qualifications notwithstanding extensive theoretical and practical experiences in the field that are overlooked in favour of Consultants that leave a lot to be desired.We Namibians must be wary of too much talk but little action.For instance, the many workshops and seminars being held and facilitated by Consultants and local staff that are less qualified is very discouraging to most of us.How many task forces have been created and what are the results? The Harmonisation of Regional Council Structures in the 13 regions is still outstanding and nothing is being done to address this anomaly.As a result, we are sitting with a top-heavy structure without operational staff.It is like having the Chiefs without the Indians, as the Americans like to joke.Is the publication of the so-called study a justification for inertia? The use of the nomenclatures ‘Directorate of Decentralisation Co-ordination’ and ‘Ministry of Regional, Local Government, Housing and Rural Development’ in this brief article doesn’t refer to individual staff members.There are a lot of dedicated staff that need to be commended for a job well done but the reality is that we must be open and admit mistakes when we make them.However, I stand by my premise that the inadequate staff component at most Regional Councils is “too ghastly to contemplate”, in that we are inhibited in delivering services to the local residents of the 13 regions in an efficient and effective manner and that the Directorate concerned must tell us if it is capable of doing its tasks in totality.I think it is a cop-out to blame the foot-dragging on others because the ball is in your court to get your act together.In conclusion, let me point out that the decentralisation process is all about personnel decentralisation.In order for it to work, therefore, it is necessary to put in place the required personnel institutional arrangement that is able to handle the decentralised activities.Surely, it is too convenient to blame Regional Councils for not being efficient and effective but the same could be said of the Directorate spearheading this process.We, therefore, need to sensitise our mother Ministry, the Directorate concerned, the Public Service Commission and the Office of the Prime Minister to the critical needs and requirements of Regional Councils with regard to human capital requirements.The bona fides and even the further existence of PSC-prescribed requirements pertaining to the creation and filling of posts, especially those critical for the smooth operation of Regional Councils, are brought into question by a too rigid approach inherited from the previous dispensation; and such standards and/or requirements should therefore be applied with discretion by all stakeholders and against the background of the purpose and spirit, rather than the letter thereof.Josephat Sinvula OshanaI also take cognisance of the fact that Regional Councils per se came into existence in 1993 whereas the actual implementation of the decentralisation policy, in phases naturally, was in full swing by 1998.Unfortunately, the crux of the problem, according to some pundits, lies at the door of the Ministry of the Regional, Local Government, Housing and Rural Development and in particular the Directorate of Decentralisation Co-ordination that is spearheading the process, as I will elucidate in this brief article.It is my humble opinion that the spearheading of the Decentralisation Process should have resorted under the Office of the Prime Minister in the first instance.As Head of the Public Service, this process would have been implemented at a faster pace – in just the same way that most of the recommendations of WASCOM were speedily implemented under the hand of the Prime Minister.The bottom line is that it will be wishful thinking to expect a Minister of a Ministry to “take” orders or instructions from a fellow Minister.On the other hand, if the line Ministry is not getting the necessary co-operation, why can’t it inform Cabinet accordingly; because after all, this was a Cabinet decision and those Ministries that continue to safeguard their “islands” must be accountable to Cabinet.Now you tell me, who’s fooling whom? The other issue has to do with the lack of capacity and expertise within the created Directorate of Decentralisation Co-ordination itself of the Ministry.There are a lot of Namibians with impeccable qualifications notwithstanding extensive theoretical and practical experiences in the field that are overlooked in favour of Consultants that leave a lot to be desired.We Namibians must be wary of too much talk but little action.For instance, the many workshops and seminars being held and facilitated by Consultants and local staff that are less qualified is very discouraging to most of us.How many task forces have been created and what are the results? The Harmonisation of Regional Council Structures in the 13 regions is still outstanding and nothing is being done to address this anomaly.As a result, we are sitting with a top-heavy structure without operational staff.It is like having the Chiefs without the Indians, as the Americans like to joke.Is the publication of the so-called study a justification for inertia? The use of the nomenclatures ‘Directorate of Decentralisation Co-ordination’ and ‘Ministry of Regional, Local Government, Housing and Rural Development’ in this brief article doesn’t refer to individual staff members.There are a lot of dedicated staff that need to be commended for a job well done but the reality is that we must be open and admit mistakes when we make them.However, I stand by my premise that the inadequate staff component at most Regional Councils is “too ghastly to contemplate”, in that we are inhibited in delivering services to the local residents of the 13 regions in an efficient and effective manner and that the Directorate concerned must tell us if it is capable of doing its tasks in totality.I think it is a cop-out to blame the foot-dragging on others because the ball is in your court to get your act together.In conclusion, let me point out that the decentralisation process is all about personnel decentralisation.In order for it to work, therefore, it is necessary to put in place the required personnel institutional arrangement that is able to handle the decentralised activities.Surely, it is too convenient to blame Regional Councils for not being efficient and effective but the same could be said of the Directorate spearheading this process.We, therefore, need to sensitise our mother Ministry, the Directorate concerned, the Public Service Commission and the Office of the Prime Minister to the critical needs and requirements of Regional Councils with regard to human capital requirements.The bona fides and even the further existence of PSC-prescribed requirements pertaining to the creation and filling of posts, especially those critical for the smooth operation of Regional Councils, are brought into question by a too rigid approach inherited from the previous dispensation; and such standards and/or requirements should therefore be applied with discretion by all stakeholders and against the background of the purpose and spirit, rather than the letter thereof.Josephat Sinvula Oshana