Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila concluded her regional visits to the Hardap Region, where she addressed the regional council leadership and management.

The meeting, which was attended by the Hardap Regional Council and delegated functions as well as the Governor, highlighted some of the pressing challenges the country is facing as well as development plans.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila explained that the government is still committed to improving the healthcare sector, servicing land for housing, and ensuring that Namibia's natural resources, government projects, and programs benefit all Namibians.

This will be done in conjunction with the central government, regional councils, and local authorities.

"If we can find innovative ways of doing things, I think we can overcome the many challenges that we face, so they are not insurmountable. I'm very optimistic. But that partnership between the various stakeholders involved in development—the central government, the regional councils, and the local authorities—makes adjustments where that is warranted."

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila also highlighted the planned innovation policy, which will focus on improving public administration, resource allocation, and service delivery, and ensuring that all regional councils are included in the government's development agenda.
   
"There is a need for us to be innovative; we have to start putting a number of services online so that we can do things better to improve administration, reduce the cost of accessing services, and improve the communities' compliance with the law, like tax laws because now we can file our taxes online." 

The Chairperson of the Hardap Regional Council, Gerson Dausab, and regional and local authority councilors expressed the need to improve the relationship between the regional authority and the National Planning Commission regarding decision-making on development projects and programs in the Hardap Region. 

The councilors further wanted clarity on the functions and responsibilities of the central government to avoid constant confusion with the regional council.

"The government is currently undertaking a review of the decentralization program, specifically to appreciate why we are not making that much progress and also why progress is not across the sectors because you have some sectors that have decentralized more and you have some that are lagging behind.... that we need to proceed with decentralization."