Hardap council orders region to give jobs to local residents first

The Hardap Regional Council has directed government offices and agencies in the region to prioritise local residents when giving jobs.

The directive was issued to all government offices, ministries and agencies operating in the region on Wednesday.

Council chairperson Gershon Dausab in the written directive said the continued employment of individuals from outside the Hardap region, despite the availability of qualified local candidates, contradicts a standing council resolution.

The directive follows several complaints from residents that people from other areas of the country are being considered for local jobs in the region. These include nursing posts at the Ministry of Health and Social Services, among others.

Dausab said the council resolution requires recruitment processes to give preference to residents born and living within the region, as part of efforts to tackle high unemployment and poverty.

“The ongoing disregard for this resolution has contributed to persistent unemployment and deepening poverty among our local population, while job opportunities are extended to non-residents,” Dausab said.

He said government structures must comply with the policy to uplift Hardap communities, warning that failure to adhere would be seen as undermining the authority of the council.

The chairperson called on all institutions to cooperate “in the spirit of regional development, equity and national unity.”

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