Prime Minister Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare has called for the urgent digitalisation, innovation and technological advancement within the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to speed up coordination and service delivery across government.
Ngurare made the remarks while addressing staff at the Office of the Prime Minister, where he outlined the institution’s central role in driving Public Service Reform under the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6).
He said the OPM remains the main coordinating centre for all offices, ministries and agencies, with oversight responsibilities that directly affect the performance of the wider public service.
“The OPM is responsible for a critical NDP6 objective: Public Service Reform. In delivering efficient public services, the OPM remains the main conduit through which all OMAs function. It has the overall mandate to ensure effective coordination and implementation of public service legal and policy frameworks, programmes and projects. It also plays a significant oversight role,” Ngurare said.
The Prime Minister said the office’s mandate covers human resource management, industrial relations, disciplinary systems, disaster management, policy coordination and technological development, warning that weak performance at OPM level would undermine service delivery across government.
He pointed to ongoing reforms, including the establishment of a One-Stop Service Centre with the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA) and other institutions, the modernisation of IT systems, the development of a Public Service Culture Change Programme, and revisions to staff rules and the Public Service Act.
Ngurare said digital platforms and innovation must be central to future operations as government works towards positioning the Namibian public service as an international benchmark.
“At the OPM, we aim to establish Namibia as a global leader in all aspects of our operations, including innovative employment methods through online platforms and the responsible utilisation of technological advancements. We are also building on the foundation established by previous administrations,” he said.
He further urged public servants to internalise President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s address to public servants delivered in July 2025, saying it clearly outlines expectations around accountability, teamwork and performance.
Ngurare directed supervisors to ensure that public servants are provided with adequate tools, training and supportive working environments, while calling for the elimination of absenteeism, corruption, nepotism and other practices that undermine service delivery.
He said the principles of unity, integrity and collective responsibility must guide public service operations as government works to meet national development objectives across all regions and constituencies.
The remarks come as the Public Service Commission (PSC) of Namibia expects to finalise the funding estimate required to fully automate the recruitment process in the public service by the next financial year. The planned automation is aimed at enhancing efficiency, transparency and accountability in government hiring, while reducing bureaucratic delays.
