Africa-Press – Namibia. LOCAL authority councillors have requested the minister of urban and rural development, Erastus Uutoni, to increase their monthly allowances, saying they are paid “peanuts”.
The councillors said this at the congress of the Association of Local Authorities in Namibia (Alan) at Oshakati on Friday.
Addressing the minister, Ongwediva councillor Naemi Amuthenu said councillors’ allowances should be adjusted to be “presentable and honourable”.
She said in other countries people in decision-making institutions are paid clothing allowances.
“Our councillors look poor. Who will listen to poor people talking?
“We cannot afford to dress properly, but we are called honourables,” she said.
Omuthiya mayor Johannes Ndeutepo said councillors are poorly remunerated, but are entrusted to appoint the chief executive officers (CEOs) of their respective towns.
He said the collective allowances of seven councillors at Omuthiya amount to less than the salary of the CEO.
“A hungry man is an angry man. Your honourables are hungry,” Ndeutepo told the minister.
He said it’s common practice that every person who works part-time is remunerated well, except local authority councillors.
“I am not advocating that councillors are paid huge amounts. What I am saying is that for councillors to come to council meetings they should be adequately remunerated.”
Ndeutepo suggested that councillors be given setting and extraordinary allowances.
Meanwhile, former City of Windhoek mayor Job Amupanda suggested that local authority councillors be allowed to have personal assistants or secretaries to “capacitate” them and help them with research.
Uutoni said councillors are paid according to what towns generate.
The minister said councillors’ allowances would be adjusted “if things are moving in the right direction”.
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