All government activities are equally important

Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, Frans Kapofi said the mid-year budget review presents a glimmer of hope for the local economy, although from a cautious vantage point.

Kapofi said this outside the National Assembly chambers on Tuesday, shortly after Minister of Finance Ipumbu Shiimi tabled the budget.

The politician noted that he sees nothing sinister in the budget of the Minister of Sport, Youth and National Service that was reduced from N$ 306.9 million to N$ 259.7 million, translating to a N$47.2 million difference.

This is in juxtaposition to that of Veterans Affairs, which was increased from N$ 847.7 million to N$ 870 million.

This, according to Kapofi, does not mean the government prioritises former soldiers over the country’s youth, saying “All government activities are equally important, that’s why they were created. We cannot say I must do this and abandon the other.”

The total budget for the 2020/21 financial year remains unchanged at N$ 72.8 billion, with the budget deficit estimated at 12.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while public debt as a proportion of GDP is estimated at 69.8 percent.

Financial crisis

All in all, Kapofi is of the view that Namibia will overcome the current financial crisis which has been further worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic and brought key sectors to their knees.

“We are resilient people. We should forge ahead,” he said.

Agreeing with Kapofi was Public Enterprises Minister Leon Jooste, who credited Shiimi for presenting a realistic yet honest budget amidst difficult circumstances.

“I see nothing in there where the minister is trying to sugar-coat anything. He has revealed the reality and it’s not a desperate attempt, it’s a realistic attempt to address realities,” he said.

For Jooste, desperate times must be met with desperate measures.

“These are difficult times and to address the situation and to turn the negative momentum around will not be easy,” he stated.

Mines and Energy Minister Tom Alweendo was equally satisfied with the presentation.

“All we did was to look at the last six months of spending and said from where we can shift funds to things that have become a priority,” he said. - Nampa