Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Donald Matthys
Published on 2024-04-11 17:00:00
The government is currently facing a challenge in determining the total expenses incurred for the memorial and funeral ceremonies of late president Hage Geingob. Geingob passed away on 4 February and was laid to rest on 25 February. Despite this significant amount of time passing, the government has not been able to calculate the exact amount spent on the funeral proceedings, as various companies are still submitting invoices for their services.
Audrin Mathe, the executive director of information and communication technology, confirmed last week that the government is still in the process of consolidating these invoices to determine the total cost of the state funeral. Mathe mentioned that the tendering process for services such as catering, logistics, media, and printing was in line with the Procurement Act, but the finalization of this process is pending as invoices are still being received.
There have been calls for transparency regarding the tendering process, especially amidst allegations that the tenders were awarded mainly to individuals from the ruling elite. Mathe responded by stating that any concerns should be formally raised if there are doubts about the fairness of the tendering process. Minister of information and communication technology, Emma Theofelus, also acknowledged the lack of a specific figure for the government’s expenditure on the funeral activities and stated that a provisional budget had been allocated, with a final reconciliation to be made available after Geingob’s burial.
Graham Hopwood, the executive director of the Institute for Public Policy Research, emphasized the importance of transparency in disclosing the costs of Geingob’s funeral arrangements, which were funded from the national budget or possibly the contingency fund. Hopwood urged for timely accountability to be provided to the public, rather than having to wait for future budget reports or an auditor general’s review, which could take years.
Independent Patriots for Change spokesperson Imms Nashinge also stressed the need for transparency and urged the government to inform the public about the expenses incurred during Geingob’s funeral. Nashinge highlighted the importance of setting standards for future reference to ensure clarity in such situations.
It is important to note that multiple government entities were involved in managing the late president’s funeral, including a ministerial committee for policy oversight and a national preparatory committee for technical support and coordination. The information ministry serves as the government’s spokesperson for funeral-related matters under this arrangement.
In conclusion, the delay in determining the total cost of Geingob’s funeral proceedings has raised concerns about transparency and accountability within the government. Stakeholders have called for timely disclosure of expenses to ensure transparency and uphold democratic principles. The need for setting standards and clarifying procedures for future events has been emphasized to avoid similar challenges in the future.
Read the original article on The Namibian
