Ministers in dark over their role

THE role of permanent secretaries in the public service was hammered out under the watchful eyes of President Hifikepunye Pohamba and Prime Minister Nahas Angula at State House yesterday.

However, no minister was present for the discussion of the relationship between ministers and their permanent secretaries.With the recent reshuffling of permanent secretaries, Angula said the responsibility for the ministries’ functioning not only rests with the accounting officers, but also with the ministers.Addressing the permanent secretaries yesterday, President Pohamba only once mentioned ministers when he was referring to the recent redeployment of accounting officers.He said the reshuffle should not be seen as window dressing, but as a critical step in Government’s drive towards ensuring ongoing improvement in the performance of every office, ministry and government agency.’It is critical and desirable that the permanent secretaries and ministers work closely together in making critical choices with regard to national priorities, while ensuring continuity,’ he said.Before the reshuffle many of the ministers and their permanent secretaries did not see eye-to-eye and a serious situation of mistrust was experienced.’I am so glad that he is no longer with me,’ was one of the remarks made, while other ministers complained about their permanent secretaries withholding crucial information from them.This has already resulted in some ministers providing wrong information to the public, while others find it difficult to discipline their permanent secretaries.’Our appointing authority is the President, while that of the permanent secretaries is the Prime Minister. So every time if we have a problem with a permanent secretary we have to run to State House. This is not a healthy situation. Now with the new amendment to the Public Service Act it is only the Secretary to Cabinet that can discipline the permanent secretaries. He is now the prosecutor and judge and our hands are cut off,’ a Cabinet minister told The Namibian. Others expressed the same sentiments.In terms of Article 40 (a) of the Constitution, the function of ministers is ‘to direct, co-ordinate and supervise the activities of ministries and Government departments including parastatal enterprises …..’; and in terms of Article 41, ‘all ministers shall be accountable individually for the administration of their own ministries and collectively for the administration of the work of the Cabinet, both to the President and to Parliament.’This, however, is not the reality, according to ministers, as some permanent secretaries view themselves as the ‘bosses’ of the administration and as more important than the ministers. The President told the permanent secretaries it is expected from them to set the right conditions for socio-economic stability and a climate for business and investment.’You stand ready to work in partnership with others, in order to deliver visible outcomes so that the public can enjoy and acceptable quality of life,’ said Pohamba.However, ministers are concerned that the permanent secretaries might shift the blame for problems in the ministries to them and that they would not be present to set the record straight.In reply to questions sent to the office of the Prime Minister with regard to the reporting line of permanent secretaries and the relationship between them and ministers, Angula said he cannot do the research for The Namibian and referred the reporter to the latest amendment to the Public Service Act.