WINDHOEK: Minister of Finance and Public Enterprise, Iipumbu Shiimi, says the allocation of N.dollars 6.8 billion to the administrative sector for the 2024/25 Financial Year is to support effective governance and efficient administration of public services.

Shiimi, while tabling the National Budget on Wednesday, said the administration sector received 7.8 per cent of the budget allocations.

The budget of the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development was increased by 37.6 per cent to N.dollars 2.6 billion.

‘This allocation includes N.dollars 250 million in FY2024/25 and N.dollars 175 million in FY2025/26 for the rollout of prepaid water and electricity meters in various local authorities as a long-term solution to the rising debt with NamPower and NamWater,’ he stated.

The minister said an additional N.dollars 141 million has been allocated for the transformation of the Aus and Lderitz local authorities in order to improve services because of the growing population driven by oil and gas exploration, as well
as green hydrogen activities, in the ||Kharas Region.

Shiimi said the Electoral Commission of Namibia has been allocated N.dollars 438 million in the 2024/25 financial year to ensure smooth and timely voter registration, as well as to undertake the Presidential and National Assembly Elections slated for November this year.

The public safety sector has been allocated N.dollars 15.4 billion and about N.dollars 48 billion over the mid-term expenditure framework and takes up 17.6 per cent of the non-interest budget for the 2024/25 financial year.

An amount of N.dollars 106 million has been allocated to the Anti-Corruption Commission, a 29.8 per cent increase from the previous financial year. According to Shiimi, the increase is to help the ACC improve implementation capacity, particularly in the area of combating anti-money laundering and financial crimes.

‘Despite the recent grey listing by the Financial Action Task Force, we have made significant progress and remain committed to address the outstanding acti
on items for us to be removed from the grey list in the shortest time possible,’ said the minister.

Shiimi presented a N.dollars 100.1 billion budget under the theme ‘Continuing the legacy of His Excellency Dr Hage G. Geingob by caring for the Namibian child.’

Source: The Namibia Press Agency