The Office of the Prime Minister has launched a five-year strategic plan to deliver innovative and responsive public services effectively and efficiently through transformational leadership.
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare says the strategic plan sets out the 8th administration by fundamentally rethinking how to upscale public services, coordination, and service delivery.
It has four pillars, including operational excellence, public sector transformation, disaster risk reduction, and public service delivery.
"We are building on the foundations already laid by those who have worked before us. And we sincerely thank them for that. We have also been warned. It is not going to be business as usual. The president has provided the leadership required to make Namibia shine. Her leadership seeks to create wealth. It speaks to equity and prosperity anchored on the theme, quote, 'unity in diversity, natural resources, beneficiation, and youth empowerment for sustainable development,' end quote."
The plan will further assist the office in aligning its resource allocation to be proportionate with the goals and objectives of the office and contains practical action steps.
"We must aim high because the people of Namibia do not deserve second-class service delivery, and our population is barely three million people. It is a roadmap for all Namibians. In our households, for our wise elders in villages, and for our children in the schools, the goals set out therein must become the standard by which we think and operate daily," said Dr. Ngurare.
The purpose of the plan is to further steer OPM on the path of reaching the government objectives as set out in the NDP6.
Digital transformation and e-governance are among the crucial needs identified.
"One of our weaknesses that we encounter is inadequate ICT infrastructure. Now, when we look at the mandate of the Office of the Prime Minister to provide the ICT infrastructure for public service and when we face an inadequacy or weakness like this, you can imagine the impact that it will have on the rolling out of digital platforms and e-government services, which is a key and very critical element of our plan. We have to digitalise our services; we have to move on to become an e-government, and for that reason, we will invest significant resources," said OPM Executive Director Gladice Pickering.
The launch was attended by stakeholders, members of the diplomatic corps, offices/ministries/agencies, regional councils and local authorities.