Lion’s share of defence budget for salaries

EIGHTY per cent of the N$1,68 billion budget allocation for the Ministry of Defence will go to salaries, Deputy Defence Minister Victor Simunja said in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

The remaining 20 per cent was hardly sufficient to procure modern weapons systems and equip the Air Force and the Navy with standard systems, he said. Outlining the budgetary needs of the Namibia Defence Force (NDF), Simunja said new military bases would be built at Oluno, Gobabis, M’pacha in the Caprivi Region and at Oshivelo.The spending on construction, research and development, which includes the procurement of equipment for the Army, Air Force and Navy, would come to N$219,2 million.Four hundred recruits who completed Grade 12 with good marks in English, mathematics and physical science were recruited into the Navy and Air Force this year, while the establishment of a military academy at Okahandja was also in the pipeline.Outlining the budgetary needs of the Namibia Defence Force (NDF), Simunja said new military bases would be built at Oluno, Gobabis, M’pacha in the Caprivi Region and at Oshivelo.The spending on construction, research and development, which includes the procurement of equipment for the Army, Air Force and Navy, would come to N$219,2 million.Four hundred recruits who completed Grade 12 with good marks in English, mathematics and physical science were recruited into the Navy and Air Force this year, while the establishment of a military academy at Okahandja was also in the pipeline.