Background:
There
are currently two main decentralisation initiatives going on in Namibia. Both
of them affect the MoHSS to a considerable extent. The first process is related
to an internal restructuring exercise within the MoHSS, which will bring about
a greatly deconcentrated organisational establishment. The second initiative,
which is happening in parallel, is a government-wide decentralisation process.
This aims at eventual devolution of all public services to the 13 Regional
Councils and to local authorities. This report focuses on the last mentioned
process.
Responsibility:
The
MoRLGH is the responsible government line ministry to coordinate the overall
decentralisation process. Close communication with all line ministries,
Regional Councils and local authorities is required in the process. A Committee
of Sectoral Focus Persons has been appointed for this purpose.
Definitions:
There
are three main types of decentralisation:
Deconcentration: where functions and
authority are shifted within a line ministry from the centre to the operational
level; overall responsibility remains with the centre;
Delegation: where functions and authority
are shifted on an agency basis to the Regional Councils or local authorities
(secondment); responsibility remains with the central line ministry;
Devolution: where functions/services,
authority and responsibility are handed over to the Regional Councils, local
authorities or other agencies.
Decentralisation in Namibia:
Decentralisation
in Namibia will follow a process approach and will be guided by gradual
phasing-in of decentralised authority.
In
view of the fact that Namibia is a unitary state however, the responsibility
for overall stewardship of the system, i.e. policy making and regulation,
standard setting (through laws and regulations), financing, technical support
and training, and monitoring and evaluation will be retained as the main functions
of the centre.
Particularly
in the social sectors (incl. Health), financing will remain to a large extent a
central function. There will also be legal provision to withdraw delegated or
devolved functions from RC’s, if they either request so, or if they are not or
no longer competent or able to perform the respective function.
The
process of decentralisation will go through three phases:
Firstly:
delegation (short term): some functions are seconded to the Regional Councils;
Secondly:
devolution (medium term) of the previously delegated functions to the RC’s, who
will now have full financial and administrative powers over these;
Thirdly:
further devolution (long term) of all remaining public services as far as
possible to the RC’s; central line ministries will retain main functions as
indicated above.
The
process followed to date:
Guided
by the Decentralisation Policy (1996), line ministries have identified the
functions that shall be delegated in the first phase of decentralisation.
These
are for MoHSS: community-based health care, water and sanitation and
pensions/allowances administration.
MoRLGH
has put in place guidelines for RC’s and legislation in form of the
Decentralization Enabling Act (No. 33 of 2000).
Line
ministries have been requested to compile decentralisation action plans, where
all staff and other resources as well as required budgets related to the
functions to be delegated have to be identified.
Where
are we now?
MoRLGH
is in the process of compiling the Decentralisation Implementation Plan, which
is to incorporate the line ministry action plans. However, there are a number
of constraints, which MoRLGH describes as follows:
·
Only
very few line ministries have prepared themselves for the implementation
process and only two ministries have indicated a possible, gradual transfer of
functions, staff and funds for this fiscal year;
·
Some
ministries seem not to have internalised, understood or accepted the
decentralisation policy;
·
Some
ministries seem to have opted to ignore the MoRLGH’s request for co-operation;
·
Listed
functions to be decentralised by some ministries contradict with those already
identified in existing policy documents;
·
Some
ministries have set out preconditions for further planning which may not be
resolved soon;
·
Many
ministries have ignored that only existing staff and budget provisions are to
be transferred and have rather submitted proposals for the establishment of new
structures and new posts requiring additional funds;
·
Most
ministries have underscored that their contributions are preliminary and still
require review.
Where
are we going?
MoRLGH
plans to have the first functions or subfunctions delegated to RC’s at the beginning of the FY 2002/2003. This means
secondment of staff and resources related to those specific functions to the
RC’s.
For
the above purpose MoRLGH is in the process of finalising the Decentralisation
Implementation Plan. This will set out all activities to be implemented by
MoRLGH, RC’s and line ministries in order to enhance smooth phasing-in of the
delegation part of the decentralisation.
MoRLGH
has revised the structure and staff establishment for RC’s in conjunction
with OPM/PSC and has seen to it that a
basic organisational framework, under which the delegated functions from MoHSS
and other line ministries are to fall, will be in place.
Delegation
is intended to be a short term process of one to two years, before the specific
functions in question are to be fully devolved to the RC’s, i.e. complete
transfer of staff and resources including assets (vehicles, equipment,
furniture, buildings) to the RC’s . Financing at this stage is to be mainly
through block grants from relevant line ministries.
Completion
of the eventual devolution of all public services currently (or in future to
be) provided in the regions is envisaged over the long term (5 to 10 years /?15
years).
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Compiled
by Dr. N. Forster
Under
Secretary: SPR
2001/06/28