Executive Director of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), I-Ben Nashandi, has called for the urgent implementation of the recommendations put forward by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Task Force.
Nashandi’s remarks come as the government continues to assess the country’s readiness for 4IR, following the official submission of the Task Force’s report in 2022. The strategy aims to provide overarching direction and multi-sectoral planning, with a focus on education reform to address the 4IR skills gap, cybersecurity, and the expansion of ICT infrastructure and services.
Speaking at OPM’s annual planning workshop in Swakopmund, Nashandi underscored the necessity of completing a feasibility study for the establishment of a National Data Center to bolster the country’s digital transformation efforts.
“Given emerging cybersecurity risks, we must relook at our institutional structures and IT infrastructure to manage such risks,” Nashandi stated.
He further stressed the need for the development and implementation of performance management systems (PMS) tools to track progress and hold institutions accountable for their performance.
“Importantly, we must develop effective PMS tools to track performance. And to ensure accountability through the implementation of an effective performance management system, and roll its implementation to all OMAs, including in OPM,” he said.
In advocating for improved efficiency in government operations, Nashandi called for a business process reengineering approach within OPM, encouraging each unit to propose functional IT solutions. He also emphasized the significance of enhancing food security and reducing Namibia’s dependence on food imports by accelerating local food production capacity.
“We need to invent new solutions within our drought relief programme as part of resilience building,” he added.
Beyond food security, Nashandi underscored the importance of maintaining high business standards and urged a renewed focus on key priorities outlined in the Swapo Party Election Manifesto 2024, the Swapo Party Manifesto Implementation Plan (SMIP), and the upcoming Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6).
With Vision 2030 approaching, he called for strategic planning to mainstream e-government across public services, ensuring improved service delivery. Additionally, he stressed the need for employment creation and local sourcing, advocating for procurement strategies that support domestic economic growth.
“The provision of employment and local sourcing for goods and services requires deliberate outcome-oriented procurement plans for all activities to ensure that we support our domestic economy to create and sustain jobs, given the resources we have to make such a difference,” Nashandi said.
