Africa-Press – Namibia. POPULAR Democratic Movement (PDM) president McHenry Venaani said some of Namibia’s ambassadors and high commissioners are double-dipping and continue to receive transport allowances despite being in possession of state vehicles abroad.
He was speaking in parliament on Tuesday.
He also asked the minister of international relations and cooperation, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, to review the system to close the lid on such loopholes.
“You are working for five years as an ambassador and you have a full-time car at your duty station, but in Namibia, when you get your salary, you will still be entitled to a transport allowance. Some of these costs are unnecessary,” Venaani said.
There is a need to reform the policy of affording two motor vehicle allowances to diplomats that serve abroad, he asserted.
Venaani said the economic costs of unproductive public expenditure can be far-reaching. Nandi-Ndaitwah did not immediately respond to Venaani. She was not reachable when The Namibian reached out to her by phone yesterday.
Last year, the government paid a transport allowance of N$4,9 million to ambassadors and high commissioners, included in their N$74,6 million annual package.
During the current financial year, the government plans to spend about N$5 million on transport allowances for heads of diplomatic missions, as part of their estimated N$75,6 million salary.
Venaani said this potentially fosters a culture of double-dipping within the civil service, which is a violation of the public trust and a potential drag on state coffers.
“However, it is puzzling that this directive has been meted out [sic] while the government’s wasteful expenditure and bottlenecks that plaque the system continue unabated. This necessitates the need to address the state’s wasteful expenditure with greater urgency,” Venaani said.
International missions receive an additional N$2 million subsistence and travel allowance (S&T) per year, according to the budget books.
Retired diplomat Pius Dunaiski said calls to have transport allowances for heads of missions scrapped are being exaggerated.
Dunaiski advised against the removal of transport allowances, because despite the transport provision abroad, ambassadors have transport-related obligations to meet back home.
“These perks are not meant for the entire diplomatic mission, only the head of mission… who have vehicle obligations when they are back in the country. This is petty. I think Venaani is making a mountain out of an anthill,” Dunaiski said.
He said an ambassador or high commissioner represents the country and the president during their postings and needs to be accorded certain perks and protection.
“There is no way a head of mission can drive him or herself around when in foreign countries. They need a driver. But when you are back home, those privileges are not the same. You will need to drive yourself and that is why the transport allowance is important,” Dunaiski said.
Meanwhile, political analyst Rui Tyitende said the propensity for conspicuous consumption in the government will not stop as long as there are civil servants and politicians that make a living off the government.
“They are not there to serve but to be served. No politician or bureaucrat should benefit from state vehicles.
He said taxpayer funds cannot and should not be utilised on people who have the means to procure their own vehicles, including members of the opposition.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
