Service delivery to get a boost

NAMIBIAN citizens can start expecting improved service delivery from Government following the launch of a Performance Management System (PMS) for the public service.

At the launch last week, Prime Minister Nahas Angula emphasised that ensuring national development and economic growth depended on the public service providing the infrastructure and services that the citizens demand.’It must do that effectively and efficiently and at the same time ensure that the cost of government provides value for money and reduces the amount of wastage,’ he said.The PMS, currently being piloted in six ministries, aims to introduce a simplified and integrated system that sets clear performance outputs for staff. It is expected that by 2012, 50 per cent of ministries and 75 per cent of regional councils will have implemented the PMS.Noting that the public sector spends close to N$12 billion per year, with N$4 billion going to the capital budget, Angula said: ‘If we’re spending this much money, we must show results.’Angula challenged public service managers to work towards improving Namibia’s global competitiveness standing.Namibia currently is ranked 74th out of 133 countries on the global competitiveness index. Angula said he wanted the country to feature in the top 50 countries within the next five years.He said that with structures and national documents such as the National Development Plans, Vision 2030, and other strategic plans in place, there is no reason not to perform, adding that the lack of performance could only be due to ‘incompetence or unwillingness’.He said both of these would be dealt with through the PMS.At the launch on Thursday, the Secretary to Cabinet, Frans Kapofi, signed performance agreements with three of the six permanent secretaries involved in the pilot phase of the system.’It cannot be business as usual. The political leadership of our country has given us a direction to follow. The citizens out there are not satisfied with the way we do business. We cannot afford to fail our country,’ Kapofi said.Underlining the seriousness of the PMS, Angula told staff to get rid of the mentality that it was impossible to fire a public servant for poor performance.’If your performance is lacking, you might end up in a disciplinary hearing, which might recommend that you be fired. This is a serious undertaking, and you should take it seriously,’ he said.nangula@namibian.com.na