Governor Verna Sinimbo of the Kavango West Region has urged for a united effort in the battle against corruption.

Speaking at the Consultative Workshop on the Third Development of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy at Nkurenkuru, Sinimbo told those in attendance that it takes transparency, accountability, and integrity at all levels of society to tackle corruption.

"Corruption remains one of the greatest obstacles to development. It delays service delivery, weakens institutions, discourages investment and undermines public confidence in leadership. Most importantly, corruption affects the ordinary citizens who depend on government services for a better quality of life. For regions such as Kavango West, where communities continue to require improved infrastructure. Employment opportunities, quality education, health care services and rural development – every resource must be used responsibly and for its intended purposes."

Sinimbo further added that the fight against corruption requires political will and ethical leadership.

Deputy Director General of Anti-Corruption Commission Erna van der Merwe stated that the 3rd strategy and action plan are built on a strong foundation of the first two strategies.

"Mismanagement of public resources is a cancer that eats at the moral fabric of society. Those entrusted with the management of public funds and other assets should put an end to the abuse of public office for personal gain. The 2nd Strategy and Action Plan consists of eight strategic objectives with 95 actions implemented by various responsible institutions. Some of these activities were fully implemented, while some were partly implemented for various reasons, and some are still in the process of implementation due to the nature of the actions."

The establishment of an integrity committee, the safety of whistleblowers, and people paying for employment are some of the concerns raised during the consultation.