Pohamba stresses planning at Cabinet review

GOVERNMENT needs improved planning mechanisms and a review of project implementation so that the right hand knows what the left is doing.

This was spelled out yesterday by President Hifikepunye Pohamba. Speaking at the first annual Cabinet review meeting under his leadership, the Head of State said without monitoring and evaluation of policies it would be difficult “if not impossible to know whether we are moving forwards, backwards or are simply stagnating.We have no other choice.”All Cabinet Ministers and their deputies are attending the two-day meeting to report on progress made since the beginning of this year in implementing Government projects.Successes or failures in employment creation must also be reported.According to Pohamba, a “paradigm shift” is necessary to move from a narrow perspective and ministries acting in isolation towards integrated approaches through collaboration and coordination.”It would be a recipe for failure if we attempt to implement different Government programmes in isolation,” he stated.”Some structural changes may be required.”New ideas were needed on how to improve the civil service.”This calls for both political commitment and the willingness of the Public Service to embrace change,” the President emphasised.All Government programmes should dovetail with each other.Those who failed to plan were planning to fail, Pohamba added.”We must learn to adopt best practices and discard wasteful and tardy methods in order to become more efficient.”Greater decentralisation in decision-making was required to achieve social and economic upliftment of citizens in rural areas, especially the San and Ovahimba communities.”We are good at initiating programmes and policies, however too often there are no follow-up measures.This results in further delays and even loss of revenue to the State, therefore, all our policy initiatives must be implemented speedily,” President Pohamba said.The closed-door meeting ends today.Speaking at the first annual Cabinet review meeting under his leadership, the Head of State said without monitoring and evaluation of policies it would be difficult “if not impossible to know whether we are moving forwards, backwards or are simply stagnating.We have no other choice.”All Cabinet Ministers and their deputies are attending the two-day meeting to report on progress made since the beginning of this year in implementing Government projects.Successes or failures in employment creation must also be reported.According to Pohamba, a “paradigm shift” is necessary to move from a narrow perspective and ministries acting in isolation towards integrated approaches through collaboration and coordination.”It would be a recipe for failure if we attempt to implement different Government programmes in isolation,” he stated.”Some structural changes may be required.”New ideas were needed on how to improve the civil service.”This calls for both political commitment and the willingness of the Public Service to embrace change,” the President emphasised.All Government programmes should dovetail with each other.Those who failed to plan were planning to fail, Pohamba added.”We must learn to adopt best practices and discard wasteful and tardy methods in order to become more efficient.”Greater decentralisation in decision-making was required to achieve social and economic upliftment of citizens in rural areas, especially the San and Ovahimba communities.”We are good at initiating programmes and policies, however too often there are no follow-up measures.This results in further delays and even loss of revenue to the State, therefore, all our policy initiatives must be implemented speedily,” President Pohamba said.The closed-door meeting ends today.