Windhoek: Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has called on government leaders to align public spending with the objectives of National Development Plan Six (NDP 6) and to analyse and apply the Public Procurement Act in a manner that delivers tangible results. Ngurare made the remarks at a consultative meeting on the implementation of the Public Procurement Act, Act 15 of 2015, and the importance of Annual Procurement Plans (APPs), held in Windhoek on Tuesday.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the Prime Minister urged attendees to align their budgets and APPs to perform accordingly, within the confines of the law and relevant policies. He stated that procurement remains one of the major bottlenecks identified during last year's Cabinet Retreat, noting that ministers are often excluded from the compilation of APPs.

Ngurare emphasised the need for political principals to be fully aware of what is contained in procurement plans to ensure there is alignment between accounting officers and political office bearers. He highlighted the importance of regular sharing and discussion of execution reports, stating, 'The right hand must know what the left hand is doing.'

As the maiden financial year of the eighth Administration draws to a close, Ngurare stressed the necessity to align APPs with NDP 6, strategic plans, and annual plans while ensuring compliance with procurement, anti-corruption, and state finance laws.