Windhoek: Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has called for the professionalisation of Namibia's public service, urging public servants to put citizens at the centre of government service delivery. Speaking at the Annual Human Resource Conference for Public Servants at the Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management (NIPAM) on Monday, Ngurare highlighted the necessity of having competent, motivated, ethical, and committed public servants to achieve Namibia's development objectives.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the conference is being held under the theme, 'Towards the Professionalisation of the Public Service of Namibia.' Ngurare commended public servants for their dedication, hard work, and commitment to service delivery over the past 18 months under the 8th Administration. However, he emphasized that much more remains to be done and expressed confidence in achieving government priorities under the latest National Development Plan (NDP6).
The prime minister disclosed that several civil servants have been dismissed since last year due to conduct unbecoming of a public servant. He stressed the importance of the Public Service Commission as the centre of gravity for public service delivery and urged adherence to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's principles of pragmatism, integrity, accountability, meritocracy, and inclusivity.
Ngurare noted that Namibia's population had grown from 1.5 million at independence to 3.1 million, with over 110,000 public servants currently employed. He acknowledged the issue of unemployment, especially among young graduates, and mentioned the government's recent decision to appoint more nurses, teachers, and professionals in other fields.
He urged human resource practitioners to evolve beyond administrative functions to become strategic partners in government, focusing on identifying skills gaps, managing performance, and supporting employee wellbeing. Ngurare emphasized that recruitment must be based on competency, free from bribery, favouritism, nepotism, and corruption.
The prime minister called for stronger accountability, urging managers to lead by example and ensure that integrity and professionalism remain non-negotiable. On digital transformation, Ngurare advocated for the digitisation of public service job applications to alleviate difficulties faced by people in rural areas.
He encouraged public institutions to attract and retain competent individuals, reward excellence, address underperformance fairly, and embrace innovation while keeping citizens at the heart of service delivery. 'Each of us has a role to play in building the Namibia we want,' Ngurare concluded.