Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Indileni Daniel has said the ministry’s low capital expenditure across nine programmes and 38 projects reflects weaknesses in planning and oversight, warning that such shortcomings will not be tolerated going forward.
Speaking during her Ministerial Annual Staff Address, Daniel said the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) spent only N$31.1 million of its N$70 million development budget in the 2025/26 financial year, representing an execution rate of just 45%.
She described the level of spending as “very concerning”, noting that limited challenges had been escalated to her office despite the low rate of implementation.
“During the 2025/26 financial year, the ministry was allocated a development budget of N$70 million across nine programmes and 38 capital projects. As at the reporting period, total expenditure amounted to N$31.1 million, representing 45%, which is very concerning,” Daniel said.
She said the low execution rate pointed to deficiencies in planning, coordination and oversight within the ministry, adding that stronger accountability would be enforced to improve performance.
Daniel noted that several projects were completed during the period, including infrastructure developments at Ngoma, Namutoni, Mukwe, K1 and K2, Hobas, the Fish River Canyon water pipeline, the Swakopmund office and the Okahandja Forestry Office. Progress was also recorded on the Tourist Road Upgrade project in Etosha.
Despite these advances, she acknowledged that the ministry continues to face challenges such as budget constraints, procurement delays, transport limitations, capacity shortages and operational difficulties in remote areas.
Daniel said management has responded by refocusing activities on priority outputs, strengthening coordination with procurement and finance units, and improving internal monitoring and reporting.
She added that the ministry’s annual and operational plans remain central to guiding implementation, with performance indicators reviewed quarterly to support accountability and evidence-based decision-making.
