The government says regional councils must be empowered to effectively deliver services at local level.
Minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa made these remarks during the official handover of youth and sports functions from the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture to regional councils at Otjiwarongo on Wednesday.
He said decentralisation can only succeed if regional structures demonstrate commitment to performance, accountability, and improved management and operational skills.
“As the ministry mandated to facilitate decentralisation in Namibia, decentralisation is not merely the transfer of functions between different levels of government, but also the empowerment of sub-national governments to function effectively like the central government,” he said.
Sankwasa further acknowledged that the decentralisation process has taken longer than anticipated since independence due to various challenges.
He also commended both ministries for the extensive consultations undertaken to conclude the handover process.
Meanwhile, the minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture, Sanet Steenkamp, said her ministry’s technical team will continue working closely with the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development to support the regions in finalising the transition process.
Steenkamp said support measures will include operational matters linked to delegated functions, office accommodation, assets, human resources, and financial arrangements.
She stressed that clear communication channels and defined procedures remain essential between the ministry and regional councils.
“As we advance towards full devolution within the broader decentralisation process, I call for continued close collaboration, mutual commitment, and the strengthening of partnerships among all our institutions,” she said.
The event was attended by regional council chairpersons and chief regional officers.
