Permanent Secretaries missing in action?

‘PULL up your socks,’ President Pohamba recently told Permanent Secretaries (PSes) during the opening of a meeting at State House, but it seems as if some of them still have their socks sagging around their ankles.

Pohamba said a large part of the responsibility for better government performance rested with PSes but that they oftenleave their ‘jackets hanging on their chairs and handbags on their office desks to pretend they are at work but instead run around town on private errands’. The President added that ‘some of you travel too much – one day that one is in Beijing and on enquiry a little later the same one is in Washington. What happens in your Ministries if you are not there?’The Namibian decided to call permanent secretaries to see if they would be available for comment on a Friday, especially at the end of the month.The results seem to confirm Pohamba’s suspicions, as we were not able to reach a single PS directly. Only one was at his desk but was reportedly busy with a phone call. All calls were made between 09h00 and 10h30 on Friday.•PS for the Office of the President Ndeutala Angolo was said to be in a meeting.•PS for the National Planning Commission Mocks Shivute was in Walvis Bay.•PS for the Office of the Prime Minister Nangula Mbako was on leave.•PS for the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry Andrew Ndishishi was said to be in a meeting.•PS for the Ministry of Defence Petrus Shivute was out of town. •PS for the Ministry of Education Vitalis Ankama was said to be out of office for a meeting.•PS for the Ministry of Environment and Tourism Dr Kalumbi Shangula was out of town.•PS for the Ministry of Finance Calle Schlettwein was said to be attending a meeting with the Minister. •There was no answer at the office of the PS for the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.•PS for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Veiccoh Nghiwete was said to be in a meeting.•PS for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare Sirkka Ausiku was not in the country.•PS for the Ministry of Health and Social Services Kahijoro Kahuure was said to be in a meeting. •PS for the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration Samuel /Gôagoseb was said to be out for a meeting. •PS for the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology Mbeuta Ua-Ndjarakana was in his office.•There was no answer at the office of the PS for the Ministry of Justice.•PS for the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare Ulitala Hiveluah was said to be in a meeting. •PS for the Ministry of Mines and Energy Joseph Iita was not in the office.•PS for the Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development Erastus Negonga was out of town. •PS for the Ministry of Safety and Security Pieter Mwatile was out of town. •PS for the Ministry of Trade and Industry Malan Lindeque was out of town. •PS for the Ministry of Veterans’ Affairs William Amagulu was not in the office.•PS for the Ministry of Works and Transport George Simataa was out of town. •PS for the Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sports and Culture Peingeondjabi Shipoh was out of town.