Home affairs, immigration, safety and security minister Lucia Iipumbu has issued a directive for the ministry to start operating during lunch time.
She announced this in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
The Namibian in August reported that members of the public were forced to wait outside during lunch from 13h00 until the ministry’s staff returned from their break at 14h00.
This has led to criticism, with some members of the public dubbing it as poor service delivery.
The ceasing of operations at lunch time meant that issuing of identity cards and passports comes to a standstill.
The matter has since reached the National Assembly, with National Unity Democratic Organisation parliamentarian Vetaruhe Kandorozu questioning what mechanism the ministry is going to deploy to address the matter.
“I just want to once and for all put this record to rest. I joined the ministry of March 2025, and I was briefed on the ministry’s activities in April 2025,” she says.
During this briefing, Iipumbu said she raised her concerns of the closing during lunch hour.
“I have put the directive in writing, and the executive director is on instruction to work on a calendar to determine who works at what time without closing at lunch time, “ she said.
Iipumbu said this was her own initiative long before it was brought to her attention and assured that the directive is being implemented.
