Iilonga pushes for ‘jobs for comrades’

DEPUTY Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Petrus Iilonga once again pushed the “jobs for comrades” notion during the Budget debate in the National Assembly yesterday.

He said there was no reason why Ministers and other Members of Parliament could not be elected to serve on the boards of Namibian companies, especially State-owned ones. After all, he said, as politicians they had “broad views” and were elected to be “entrusted with the wealth of the nation”.”How [do] you expect a person who is not elected or an employee to implement your vision?” Iilonga asked.”It is high time now we take [on] the challenge of having politicians directly [involved] to run the affairs of the Government through administration.”Iilonga said while technical people busied themselves with doing the hands-on work, Ministers had to give direction and see to it that projects were implemented as was agreed by Government.”[At] board meetings where the core decisions are taken it is proper [that] the owners give the go-ahead and he or she make sure that those decisions are in the interest of the owner, not like now,” said Iilonga.Government, he said, had to build the capacity of its staff to improve human resource development.Iilonga said if the attitude of civil servants did not change and their services were continually deemed insufficient, it would perpetuate the opinion that Government could not own hotels or banks.Competence and commitment had to be instilled in Government staffers, he said.”It is common experience that it is relatively easier to build competence than commitment.Therefore, it is easier to build competence among staff members who are committed and willing to learn and work hard,” said Iilonga.Swapo members, he said, had proven this commitment during the liberation struggle.Iilonga further advised Government to speed up land reform by targeting farms owned by absentee landlords.He also called for NamPost Savings Bank to become a State bank and that Agribank diversify its operations to allow individuals to deposit with the bank.Ministers, he said, had to be more accountable for the parastatals that resorted under their Ministries and that as a whole Government needed to take serious control over its businesses.”[The] theory of political office bearers [only as] administrators [can] no longer be accepted,” said Iilonga.The Deputy Minister said he was opposed to the privatisation of State property and services if the nation did not indicate that it wanted this done.After all, he said, as politicians they had “broad views” and were elected to be “entrusted with the wealth of the nation”.”How [do] you expect a person who is not elected or an employee to implement your vision?” Iilonga asked.”It is high time now we take [on] the challenge of having politicians directly [involved] to run the affairs of the Government through administration.”Iilonga said while technical people busied themselves with doing the hands-on work, Ministers had to give direction and see to it that projects were implemented as was agreed by Government.”[At] board meetings where the core decisions are taken it is proper [that] the owners give the go-ahead and he or she make sure that those decisions are in the interest of the owner, not like now,” said Iilonga.Government, he said, had to build the capacity of its staff to improve human resource development.Iilonga said if the attitude of civil servants did not change and their services were continually deemed insufficient, it would perpetuate the opinion that Government could not own hotels or banks.Competence and commitment had to be instilled in Government staffers, he said.”It is common experience that it is relatively easier to build competence than commitment.Therefore, it is easier to build competence among staff members who are committed and willing to learn and work hard,” said Iilonga.Swapo members, he said, had proven this commitment during the liberation struggle.Iilonga further advised Government to speed up land reform by targeting farms owned by absentee landlords.He also called for NamPost Savings Bank to become a State bank and that Agribank diversify its operations to allow individuals to deposit with the bank.Ministers, he said, had to be more accountable for the parastatals that resorted under their Ministries and that as a whole Government needed to take serious control over its businesses.”[The] theory of political office bearers [only as] administrators [can] no longer be accepted,” said Iilonga.The Deputy Minister said he was opposed to the privatisation of State property and services if the nation did not indicate that it wanted this done.