Police pay in limelight

MEMBERS of the Namibian Police are resigning because some earn salaries at the level of security officers, an opposition MP claimed yesterday.

Elma Dienda of the Congress of Democrats said Police officers earn very low salaries and many are resigning to look for greener pastures, thus affecting the efficiency of the force.’It is not just the salaries. When you go to a Police station they can’t even call for a vehicle on patrol because they have run out of credit. You have to call from your cellphone on their behalf. I know that people sometimes misuse such facilities but we need to find a solution to the problem,’ Dienda said during the discussion on the Police budget.DTA MP Phillemon Moongo agreed.’Police must get a fair salary. This must stop now,’ he shouted during his turn. He said the Police are being exploited since they work weekends without pay, and called on Government to change the labour law.The Police, prison service and the army cannot be represented by unions and are thus excluded from wage negotiations for other civil servants.The National Union of Namibian Workers recently started exploring the possibility of including the prison service under the unions’ bargaining status.Labour Minister Immanuel Ngatjizeko noted that the Police are also excluded from the Labour Act.