GRN committed to improving lives – Pohamba

President Hifikepunye Pohamba has told Parliament that Government, despite various challenges, is determined to ensure that it continues to uplift the socio-economic conditions of people, especially those who live in rural areas and informal settlements.
Pohamba said this at the official opening of the 5th Session of the 5th Parliament in the capital on Tuesday which will conduct its business under the theme “Striving for a Better Parliament and Preparing for Leadership Transition.”
The President said Government has taken deliberate steps to empower communities through the delivery of public services and expansion of social amenities such as housing, potable water, electricity, health care and education.
Furthermore, he said Government has adopted forward-looking policies and programmes to take the country forward on the path towards prosperity. He singled out the five-year National Development Plans and Vision 2030 among the policies that Government has adopted to undo the injustices of the past and promote equitable distribution of resources.
“We will continue to relentlessly implement policies and projects aimed at addressing poverty and unemployment among our people, especially among the youth and women,” the President said.
The new session of Parliament will deliberate, among others, the Disaster Risk Management Bill, the National Health Bill, the Public and Environmental Health Bill, the Tender Board Bill, the  Child Care and Protection Bill, the Water Resources Management Bill, the Plant Breeders’ and Farmers’ Rights Bill and the Urban and Regional Planning Bill.
Commenting on the President’s speech MTC’s Chief Human Capital & Corporate Affairs Officer Tim Ekandjo said it was a really short and to the point speech.
“His Excellency has rightly stated that he will get in more detail with most of the aspects mentioned in his speech at the State of the Nation address which I am looking forward to hearing,” Ekandjo said.
Ekandjo added that of paramount importance in his Excellency’s speech was the need for our leaders in Parliament to display exemplary leadership. He said this is key “because we look up to our leaders to uphold the principles and our constitutional values and they are therefore brand ambassadors of these values.”
He however said, he would have wanted to hear more about how Government will tackle job creation and the role that TIPEEG will play and “most importantly the issue of housing which is a very basic fundamental right that Namibia should strive for but I am confident that His Excellency will address that at another platform.”