MPs bunk parliament, budget tabling deferred
IPPR wants social welfare programmes prioritised
The government will introduce new interventions to cushion Namibians battered by the ongoing drought across the country.
An near-empty National Assembly chamber welcomed finance minister Ipumbu Shiimi yesterday as a considerable number of legislators bunked a sitting where the minister was due to present the mid-term budget.
National Assembly records from yesterday’s sitting show that more than 55 lawmakers did not pitch up for the mid-term budget tabling, one the minister said contains crucial drought interventions.
It came as a surprise to many that so many parliamentarians stayed away, considering that thousands of Namibians - at household and commercial level - have been ravaged by the ongoing drought, which has been described as the worst in a century.
The tabling has been moved to today.
National Assembly rules indicate that for a sitting to have a quorum, at least be 49 members must be present.
Cancelling the sitting, National Assembly deputy speaker Loide Kasingo said in terms of parliamentary rules, Shiimi would be unable to go ahead with the tabling of the budget. “There’s no quorum [and if] there's no quorum, there's no point. We were supposed to start with the tabling of the Appropriation Bill, and the rules dictate that we must be 49. Unfortunately, we are not at that level,” she said.
Responsive
Speaking to Namibian Sun ahead of the planned budget tabling yesterday, Shiimi said the budget would be responsive to the challenges Namibia is currently facing.
“The mid-term budget is an instrument to allocate resources to emergencies, so this time around, we looked at which emergencies we are facing; obviously the drought is one of those emergencies we are facing,” he said.
According to the finance minister, the severity of the drought was not properly assessed during the beginning of the year when the budget for the 2024/2025 fiscal year was delivered, adding that government had now fully assessed its severity.
“Now we feel the impact and will allocate more resources to cater to the needs of our people,” Shiimi said of the mid-term budget.
Critical areas
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has in the meantime recommended that the budget be responsive to Namibia’s high public debt.
“Namibia’s public debt continues to be a pressing concern. High debt levels limit fiscal space for development and social spending. The government aims to manage this debt while maintaining necessary public services, a task complicated by global economic uncertainties,” it said.
The IPPR also called on the government to place an emphasis on social welfare programmes.
“Namibia faces significant challenges related to unemployment and inequality, with many citizens living in poverty. The budget needs to address these socio-economic disparities, necessitating a substantial allocation towards social welfare programmes and job creation initiatives."
IPPR added: “Despite increases in overall expenditure, essential sectors like health, education and infrastructure still require more funding to meet growing demands and ensure quality services. The current budget allocations may not sufficiently address these critical areas".
National Assembly records from yesterday’s sitting show that more than 55 lawmakers did not pitch up for the mid-term budget tabling, one the minister said contains crucial drought interventions.
It came as a surprise to many that so many parliamentarians stayed away, considering that thousands of Namibians - at household and commercial level - have been ravaged by the ongoing drought, which has been described as the worst in a century.
The tabling has been moved to today.
National Assembly rules indicate that for a sitting to have a quorum, at least be 49 members must be present.
Cancelling the sitting, National Assembly deputy speaker Loide Kasingo said in terms of parliamentary rules, Shiimi would be unable to go ahead with the tabling of the budget. “There’s no quorum [and if] there's no quorum, there's no point. We were supposed to start with the tabling of the Appropriation Bill, and the rules dictate that we must be 49. Unfortunately, we are not at that level,” she said.
Responsive
Speaking to Namibian Sun ahead of the planned budget tabling yesterday, Shiimi said the budget would be responsive to the challenges Namibia is currently facing.
“The mid-term budget is an instrument to allocate resources to emergencies, so this time around, we looked at which emergencies we are facing; obviously the drought is one of those emergencies we are facing,” he said.
According to the finance minister, the severity of the drought was not properly assessed during the beginning of the year when the budget for the 2024/2025 fiscal year was delivered, adding that government had now fully assessed its severity.
“Now we feel the impact and will allocate more resources to cater to the needs of our people,” Shiimi said of the mid-term budget.
Critical areas
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has in the meantime recommended that the budget be responsive to Namibia’s high public debt.
“Namibia’s public debt continues to be a pressing concern. High debt levels limit fiscal space for development and social spending. The government aims to manage this debt while maintaining necessary public services, a task complicated by global economic uncertainties,” it said.
The IPPR also called on the government to place an emphasis on social welfare programmes.
“Namibia faces significant challenges related to unemployment and inequality, with many citizens living in poverty. The budget needs to address these socio-economic disparities, necessitating a substantial allocation towards social welfare programmes and job creation initiatives."
IPPR added: “Despite increases in overall expenditure, essential sectors like health, education and infrastructure still require more funding to meet growing demands and ensure quality services. The current budget allocations may not sufficiently address these critical areas".
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