Government has called for stronger public institutions, improved accountability and closer collaboration between all stakeholders to achieve universal access to safe water and sanitation by 2063.

Speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare at the 19th commemoration of Africa Public Service Day in Swakopmund on Wednesday, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform Inge Zaamwani Kamwi said this year’s theme reflects Namibia’s commitment to strengthening service delivery and ensuring that no community is left behind.

The commemoration was held under the theme “Enhancing Public Sector Institutions and Empowering Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships to Achieve Universal Water Availability and Safe Sanitation by 2063.”

Kamwi said access to water and sanitation remains central to national development.

“Water is life, and sanitation is dignity. Together, they are foundations of public health, education, food security, economic participation and human development,” she said.

She said Namibia has made considerable progress since Independence, with 91.4% of the population now having access to safe drinking water. During the 2025/26 financial year, government drilled 102 boreholes, of which 87 were successful, while 53 previously drilled boreholes were equipped and commissioned to improve access in rural communities.

However, Kamwi cautioned that infrastructure alone does not constitute service delivery.

“A drilled borehole that remains un-equipped does not yet deliver water to the people. Infrastructure without maintenance, accountable ownership and community participation cannot provide a sustainable public service,” she said.

She urged public institutions to improve planning, procurement, implementation and maintenance while embracing innovation, partnerships and climate-resilient technologies to strengthen water security.

Erongo Governor Dr Nathalia /Goagoses echoed the need for stronger partnerships, saying regional leaders and technical experts must play a central role in water governance.

She announced that the Erongo Regional Council has established the Erongo Water Forum, a committee mandated to coordinate water-related matters in the region.

“Water solutions in Erongo Region should not happen without Erongo leadership,” /Goagoses said, adding that the region should no longer “be surprised in newspapers that there is a water solution for Erongo Region without Erongo regional structures.”

The / Goagoses appealed to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform to ensure regional leadership is represented in governance structures overseeing desalination and other strategic water projects.

She said collaboration between government, communities and the private sector remains critical to ensuring sustainable access to water, particularly in remote areas of the region.

Meanwhile, Public Service Commissioner Michael Mutonga, said capable institutions require a modern and citizen-centred public service.

“Public service is not just an office or a space to work from. It is a calling… Every policy we implement and every decision we make, is a brush stroke on the canvas of our national destiny,” he said.

Mutonga said digital transformation would improve transparency, reduce bureaucracy and make government services more accessible to citizens.

“Let’s take the services to the people. That’s why we are a public service,” he said, adding that the commission envisions a future where citizens can access government services through a single digital platform without travelling long distances.

He also revealed that the commission is developing a framework to recognise outstanding public servants and institutions, with the aim of showcasing Namibia’s innovations at the annual United Nations Public Service Awards.

Kamwi concluded by urging public servants to uphold integrity and deliver tangible results for citizens.

“The credibility of the State is experienced through the reliability of the service that we provide… Universal water availability and safe sanitation by 2063 is not a distant aspiration; it is a call to action that begins today.”

By Sharlien Tjambari