THE government will transfer some of the 2 000 redundant public sector workers to the home affairs ministry to fill the 410 vacant posts there.
Home affairs permanent secretary Patrick Nandago asked regional officers in an internal memo dated 6 August to assist in filling in the posts through inter-departmental transfers.
He said in the memo that there were 410 vacant posts – 183 in the department of immigration control, 155 in the civil registration department, 60 for administrative officers in the directorate of visas, permits, passports and citizenship; as well as 12 in the department of refugee administration – which needed to be filled.
According to him, secretary to Cabinet George Simataa had directed that assistance should be sought from all offices and ministries where there are redundant staff to be considered for possible transfer.
“Should staff members from your institution be interested to be transferred to this office, your kind assistance is sought to forward their applications, and indicate ‘additional to the establishment’ on the right corner,” Nandago said.
Yesterday, he said due to financial constraints, the ministry will only be able to fill in 80 of the 400 vacancies.
He denied that these vacancies were crippling the operations of the ministry, adding: “It was not a matter of urgency”.
He added that the vacancies were created as part of the restructuring exercise meant to expand services in future.
Simataa yesterday told that the decision for transfers across ministries, offices and agencies started last year when the number of redundant employees was estimated to be around 6 000.
“Through this exercise, we have managed to reduce this number significantly, and there are now only about 2 000. I have informed all permanent secretaries that if they have any additional staff members, they should arrange for transfers to avoid job losses,” he stated.
Simataa added that every permanent secretary had produced a list of how many vacancies needed to be filled within their structures through transfers.
President Hage Geingob last year said trimming the bloated public service would only increase unemployment, hence the decision to transfer redundant staff to other ministries.
In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
