Lack of resources affecting police services

POLICE Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga yesterday said the lack of resources and modern equipment was affecting service delivery.

Ndeitunga’s comments came after the parliamentary standing committee on foreign affairs, defence and security carried out inspections at facilities between August and September this year.

The inspections focused on assessing facilities and capital projects of the Namibian Police, the Namibia Correctional Services, as well as the defence and home affairs ministries in the //Karas, Zambezi and Hardap regions.

Some of the findings in the report showed how police, NDF and home affairs officials lack proper accommodation, are understaffed and have no access to clean water and electricity, among others.

The Inspector General said although he appreciates what government has done for the police, there are a lot of challenges which the police have to endure. Ndeitunga said the police need state-of-the-art equipment because at times even those committing crimes use modern equipment.

“We are lagging behind”, he said, adding that some places are without water and electricity, especially in Kunene, and many officers are leaving due to retirement, causing staff shortages.

“These challenges are not new to us. We can only address them if we have the budget to do so, but the country is not in a good financial state. It is not only us who are affected; others are too,” said Ndeitunga. The reports furthermore found that in the Zambezi region, police, NDF and immigration offices are faced with challenges of the daily exposure to wild animals as they sleep in tents, not having offices to operate in, and are understaffed.

The chairperson of the parliamentary standing committee, Levi Katoma said the Hardap region also faces its hurdles, especially at its correctional facilities where wardens stay in makeshift rooms and storerooms, with some forced to share beds.

He said it is essential to be reminded that the NDF inherited temporary structures at military bases from the apartheid South African regime, and these are now run-down. Katoma added that there are concerns over the non-completion of the home affairs regional offices at Keetmanshoop in //Karas, and at Katima Mulilo in the Zambezi.

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