Swakopmund: Finalising critical legislative reforms and strengthening coordination across government institutions are central to improving legal service delivery and governance. This was according to Attorney General (AG) Festus Mbandeka, who emphasised the need for collaboration between offices, ministries, and regional structures to ensure that legal frameworks are consistently applied and responsive to the needs of communities.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Mbandeka made these remarks on Monday during a stakeholder engagement with the AG's office in Swakopmund. He said government institutions must work collectively to ensure that policies and legal instruments are aligned, warning that weak coordination often leads to delays and inefficiencies in service delivery.
'We must create effective channels of coordination so that we move in one direction as government, ensuring that the resources allocated to us are used efficiently for the benefit of the people,' he said. Mbandeka noted that while the AG's office provides oversight and legal support, the implementation of laws ultimately rests with various institutions, stressing the importance of accountability and adherence to legal frameworks.
The meeting gave a platform to allow the office to reflect on their performance, address challenges, and ensure that it provides services that respond to the realities on the ground. In her presentation, Legal Practitioner in the Directorate of Legal Advice, Tangi Shilongo outlined the constitutional mandate of the AG's office, pointed to several operational challenges, including incomplete instructions from clients, last-minute submissions, and a shortage of legal personnel, noting that the office currently operates with limited staff despite increasing demand.
'These challenges often lead to delays or legal advice that may not fully address the issues due to insufficient information,' she said. To address these constraints, she said the office is pursuing legislative reforms alongside efforts to recruit additional legal practitioners, invest in capacity building, and introduce a case management system to streamline operations. She also urged stakeholders to submit requests in writing with complete documentation and clear background information to improve turnaround times and the quality of legal advice.
Meanwhile, Erongo Governor Natalia |Goagoses encouraged collaboration and open dialogue between institutions, adding they are essential in addressing service delivery challenges and ensuring that policies remain inclusive and responsive to the needs of all citizens.