The State of the Nation

Catherine Sasman

28 April 2011

A FORWARD-LOOKING – and less reflective – State of the Nation address by President Hifikepunye Pohamba projected an average economic growth for the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) at 5,3 per cent.

He pegged most of Government’s efforts to bring about this growth and make a dent in the high unemployment rate and other social challenges listed in the expansionary national budget tabled in March.

Much of this effort is contained in the multibillion-dollar Targeted Intervention Programme for Employment and Economic Growth (TIPEEG) that aims to create 104 000 jobs over the MTEF period.

To a question from Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) leader Hidipo Hamutenya on how much longer unemployment and poverty will dog the nation, Pohamba said Government is responding through TIPEEG, which was borne out of recommendations of the employment summit of September last year.

The beneficiaries of this programme, he said, should be “targeted beneficiaries” like the unemployed youth, women, and small and medium enterprises.

This would also be addressed with a reviewed procurement policy that might relegate some powers of the Tender Board to regional councils.

Pohamba further made the point that TIPEEG would be incorporated into the fourth national development planning process, and that it is thus not a replacement of the existing development process.

“Our Government will continue to address the plight of our youth, women, peasants, workers, senior citizens, veterans of the liberation struggle, orphans and vulnerable children and our citizens who are affected by HIV-AIDS and other diseases,” he said.

Dismissing a request by Congress of Democrats (CoD) president Ben Ulenga for an independent inquiry into the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) saga involving more than N$660 million, Pohamba said this matter is now in the hands of the judiciary.

“For us to go and snatch it out of the hands of the judiciary and into the hands of an independent inquiry would not work out well. Let’s leave it with a very capable judiciary,” responded Pohamba.

Pohamba, who became the second president in 2005 with his now famous ‘zero-tolerance’ stance on corruption, said Government had instituted measures and institutions to fight corruption since then.

“I don’t want to see it [corruption] as it was at the time when I said it [in his inaugural speech in 2005],” responded Pohamba to Hamutenya’s question on the state of corruption since then.

The President was quick to add that the fight against corruption is not “one person’s job”, but should be tackled by all Namibians of all political persuasions.

He castigated opposition leaders for “keeping quiet” when confronted with incidents of corruption, and called on all these leaders to inform him of such “in confidence”, which he promised to take up with the Anti-Corruption Commission’s director, Paulus Noa.

He said different political parties ought to talk to one another for the sake of the welfare of the citizens and to ensure economic growth.

Pohamba further acknowledged that the Caprivi treason trial, which has dragged on for 11 years, is regrettable, but stressed that the matter is in the hands of the judiciary and cannot be interfered with by the executive arm of Government.

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