The Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Emma Theofelus, has confirmed that the government is actively working to establish the Office of the Information Commissioner in line with the implementation of Namibia's Access to Information Act.
Theofelus made the remarks during an engagement with editors in Windhoek.
The minister said the government has already started addressing the administrative requirements needed for the office to function once the commissioner is appointed.
The Access to Information Act was passed in 2022, and the regulations for its implementation have now been finalised.
The Office of the Information Commissioner will be responsible for ensuring citizens have access to information held by public institutions.
According to Theofelus, although some information is already available to the public, there is still a need to improve record-keeping and information-sharing systems within government institutions.
She also acknowledged concerns raised by editors and journalists regarding the lack of communication between government institutions and the media.
"Public relations officers in ministries, public enterprises and regional councils need to improve the way information is shared with the public and journalists. Information dissemination should happen continuously and not only during incidents or disputes."
The Chairperson of the Editors' Forum of Namibia, Toivo Ndjebela, said access to information remains a concern raised during engagements between editors and political leaders.
"One of the recurring issues raised during discussions between editors and political candidates is access to information. It remains important for the work of the media. There is a perception that access to information has become selective and that information officers are not as forthcoming with information on government activities and events as they used to be."
Ndjebela said continued engagement between government institutions and the media is necessary to improve communication with the public.
Theofelus also expressed disappointment over the low attendance of editors during the engagement, saying she had expected a larger participation and discussion on issues affecting the media sector.