Omusati governor disturbed by labour unrest

Labour unrest is crippling the Namibian economy and must be avoided at all costs by negotiating settlements. This was said by Omusati Regional Governor Sophia Shaningwa at the inauguration of the Social Security Commission (SSC) service centre at Outapi on Tuesday. Shaningwa said the opening of a SSC satellite office at Outapi was in line with the government’s decentralisation policy. “This is testimony that the government is committed to decentralisation,” she said and thanked the SCC for bringing services closer to the people. She expressed the hope that the new office would deliver better services to the public. She further requested the SSC staff to serve their customers fairly and to provide excellent service. “This is not negotiable,” she said. The SSC’s satellite office at Outapi opened its doors to the public in October 2010 and operated from temporary premises until earlier this year when it moved to its new premises in a shopping complex along the main road near the Anamulenge T-junction. The Outapi office - with a staff of six under manager Lydia Povanhu - falls under the SSC Oshakati branch and provides services such as Social Security registration, contribution payments, revenue collection, claims and customer relations. The SSC is expanding its services. It has been operating a satellite office in Katima Mulilo over the past few years and opened a new service centre in Mariental earlier this year. The Mariental office was inaugurated on November 22, while the Katima Mulilo office will be inaugurated this Friday. The Outapi event was also attended by the Labour and Social Welfare Permanent Secretary George Simataa, SSC Chief Executive Officer Kenandei Tjivikua and Swapo Party regional co-ordinator Erginus Endjala.