Retired footballer and current Office of the Prime Minister employee Silvester Lolo Goraseb, has called on newly appointed prime minister Elijah Ngurare to address critical issues within the Public Service Commission and public service management offices.
Speaking to the media in Windhoek on Wednesday, Goraseb expressed concern about the structural independence and integrity of Namibia’s public service management.
“The public service rot that I am referring to is particularly directed to the executive management of the Office of the Prime Minister and public services,” Goraseb stated.
He noted that currently, the Public Service Commission falls under the Office of the Prime Minister, which he said compromises its independence, and added that it should instead be an independent structure dealing with public service and management issues.
Goraseb further alleged that the record system at the Office of the Prime Minister is in disarray, with documents left unattended in office corridors.
“We have raised these issues on numerous platforms. I wrote to the prime minister requesting an audience on 21 December 2016. I again wrote to the prime minister last year for an audience and intervention. I can also attest that during the former prime minister’s first staff meeting, I raised these concerns and informed her of the need to review public service reform initiatives,” he added.
In response to Goraseb’s allegations, the Office of the Prime Minister issued a media statement, denying the claims as “false, unfounded and malicious.”
“The Office of the Prime Minister is committed to the well-being of all its staff members, supported by values of accountability, integrity, accessibility, transparency and respons
iveness,” the statement reads.
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