Opuwo: The dispute that delayed salary payments at the Kunene Regional Council has been resolved, with employees expected to receive their salaries on Thursday. Speaking during a public engagement in Opuwo on Wednesday, Minister of Urban and Rural Development James Sankwasa announced that the government and the regional council had agreed to appoint an acting chief regional officer (CRO), which is expected to restore the council's administrative functions and facilitate the processing of salaries.According to Namibia Press Agency, Sankwasa explained that the government had taken the decision to safeguard public funds while legal proceedings involving the substantive chief regional officer continue. He stated that if the court later reinstates the official, the law provides for that process, but appointing an acting accounting officer in the meantime is necessary to ensure the council continues to function without exposing the State to financial risk.He further added that if no suitable candidate is identi fied from among the council's seven directors, an official seconded to the regional council from another government institution may be appointed to serve as acting chief regional officer. The minister emphasized that the leadership dispute had become politicized, urging all parties to set aside political differences and focus on serving the people of Namibia.'The deadlock is behind us. We must put politics aside and focus on one Namibia, guided by the rule of law. I am satisfied that the matter has been resolved, and as a result, the people will receive their salaries on Thursday,' he said. The Kunene Regional Council dispute centers on the 2021 reinstatement of suspended CRO George Kamseb. Sankwasa declared the CRO's employment illegal and blocked government funding, which ultimately caused administrative paralysis and unpaid employee salaries.