WINDHOEK, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah opened the first Cabinet meeting of the eighth administration on Tuesday in Windhoek, the country's capital, emphasizing swift action, accountability, and adherence to the ruling South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) Party election manifesto.
In a statement, Nandi-Ndaitwah stressed that her administration would not be "business as usual" and urged the immediate implementation of the services promised to the Namibian people.
She thanked the SWAPO Party for their support and reiterated the importance of teamwork and collective decision-making, guided by the Cabinet Handbook and ethical conduct.
"We must be guided at all times by the trust placed on us by the Namibian people, who voted for me as their fifth president and gave the SWAPO Party mandate to govern this country for the next five years," she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah also reminded the Cabinet of the need for Namibians to have access to improved services in the social and economic clusters.
"The Namibian people, especially our youth, including young women, need employment opportunities ... Our small and medium enterprises need assistance to become competitive, to be able to grow the economy and create more jobs," she said.
Tailored education, responsive healthcare, strengthened agriculture, and transformed mining sectors are crucial, she added.
In terms of legislation, the president said existing laws hindering efficient service delivery must be amended by the end of May. "Each decision we make, every law and policy we implement, must be in line with the needs and aspirations of the Namibian people."
After assuming office on Friday as Namibia's first female and fifth president, Nandi-Ndaitwah announced on Saturday a reduction in the number of government ministries from 21 to 14, with a total of seven deputy ministers. ■