The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economics and Public Administration, Natangwe Ithete, says a well-functioning public administration can address issues such as unemployment in the country, economic disparity, reduction of poverty, and prevention of exploitation of workers.

Ithete said this during the opening of the 5-day stakeholder consultation and oversight workshop at Swakopmund.

Ithete says that participatory public administration is very important in every system of governance and has particular significance in any democratic system of governance, such as Namibia.
 
He further emphasises the importance of having an effective and efficient public administration in that it accelerates public service delivery, which leads to citizens' satisfaction with governance processes.
 
The general welfare of the people, he says, can be achieved through efficiency, effective public administration, and public service management, adding that public administration cuts across political divides.

"The workshop is conveniently coined with the theme 'Maximising the Potentials of Public Administration, Public Service Management, and Public Service Delivery in Namibia.' That is exactly what Parliament and the People of Namibia expect from all of us: to maximise, to improve, to address any weaknesses, to close loopholes, and to provide important and much-needed services to the people of our country, such as health services, housing, sanitation, employment, decentralised services, etc."

Erongo Governor Neville Andre, in his welcoming remarks, emphasised the importance of public administration, saying a well-functioning public administration is a precondition for the effective and efficient functioning of any government in the world, including the Namibian government.

"An efficient, responsive, transparent, and accountable public administration is of paramount importance for the proper functioning of the nation. As elected representatives of the people and public servants, we carry an important responsibility of shaping the future of Namibia through effective and efficient administration. Therefore, the discussions and decisions from this workshop will resonate throughout our institutions and communities at large and hopefully impact the lives of every Namibian."

This workshop, Neville Andre says, will provide them with a unique opportunity to scrutinise, understand, and make informed recommendations to enhance the service delivery mechanisms that are so vital to people.