18 Oct 2017

Government departments in the Okavango Sub- district have been encouraged to work together and always seek assistance from one another for better service delivery.
Addressing the sub-district staff, Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Thato Kwerepe said departments should share resources despite different ministries they belong to. Mr Kwerepe, who is also Member of Parliament for Ngami, acknowledged the challenges the sub-district was facing in terms of resources, hence emphasis on cooperation among head of departments.

He however applauded the employees for the job well done despite limited resources and encouraged them to continue doing their best with the little they had, particularly transport.
“I was impressed to see some officers travelling long hours in the crocodile-infested Okavango Delta taking services to people at Jao Flats. That’s the spirit we want, those people in Jao also deserve our services,” he said. Mr Kwerepe also appreciated that some officers had left their loved ones to come and serve the Okavango and Ngami community, something he said was a known challenge, but also commendable at the same time.

He however noted that transferring of officers should not be a form of punishment, rather value addition to the new community. On other issues, the MP encouraged officers to always treat complaints as useful feedback and not an attack. He also said officers should maintain professionalism at all times, noting that each profession had its own ethics and they should be complied with. Meanwhile, Mr Victor Manyanda of the Directorate of Public Service Management encouraged public service employees to take advantage of government schemes such as the Self Help Housing Agency and the Salary Advance Scheme to improve their livelihoods.

He however warned employees about financial embarrassment, saying it was against the Public Service Act. Mr Manyanda said financial embarrassment could lead to corruption, hence the need for employees to have net pays that could sustain them.

For his part, Okavango Sub-district coordinator in the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Mr Alfred Ditsile, appealed for increased staff houses in Gumare. ENDS