Windhoek: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Minister, Emma Theofelus, has criticized her staff for frequent participation in workshops without demonstrating any visible improvement. She emphasized that the funds allocated for these workshops could be better utilized for infrastructural development.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Theofelus addressed her concerns during the MICT year-opening ceremony held in the capital on Monday. She urged staff to apply the knowledge gained from internal workshops to enhance performance and service delivery. The minister noted that workshops and training programs would be subject to review if staff members continued to attend without acquiring new skills or knowledge.

Theofelus remarked, "I would rather use that money to go build network towers, that is a better investment than investing in staff members attending workshops and training every day, every other month. You are never in the office because a report cannot be done because you are attending a workshop." She emphasized the importance of monitoring the effectiveness of workshops and training sessions, stating that their continuation in the financial year would depend on the deliverables and outputs observed.

Furthermore, Theofelus called on MICT staff to exercise common sense, act urgently, and enhance their overall performance to ensure efficient public service delivery. She expressed dissatisfaction with the ministry's 44 percent score in the 2025 Customer Service Charter Audit, underscoring the need for public servants to take their responsibilities seriously and serve every Namibian within a reasonable timeframe.