We are committed to disability and marginalised affairs: Andjaba

WINDHOEK, 11 APR  – The Office of the President has allocated N.dollars 65 million to marginalised communities and people with disabilities for the 2018/19 financial year, Minister of Presidential Affairs Martin Andjaba said on Tuesday.
Motivating the budget of the Office of the President in the National Assembly on Tuesday, Andjaba said the government remains committed to providing services to vulnerable members of society.
“By any measure, this programme has noble objectives which are aimed at improving the living conditions of some of the most vulnerable communities in our society and integrating them into the broader Namibian house,” he said.
The Office of the President’s budget for the 2018/19 financial year is N.dollars 411 million, which represents a N.dollars 197 million decrease from the previous financial year.
“This reduction reflects the cost cutting measures introduced by Government in this financial year,” Andjaba explained.
The integration of the San, Ovatue and Ovatjimba communities and people with disabilities into the mainstream economy is one of the key objectives of government’s programmes, the minister said.
These programmes also cater for education of young people from the San communities through the San Education Support Programme (SESP). Under the SESP, beneficiaries are identified and enrolled in schools and tertiary institutions through the Division of Marginalised Communities.
The division also coordinates the construction of permanent school buildings and houses for teachers at various settlement centres for the benefits of these communities.
Andjaba further spoke about the disability affairs programme that aims to strengthen and coordinate the implementation of policies and legal frameworks on disability issues.
“This includes the initiation of programmes that will enable young children and youth with disabilities to access education, health and employment opportunities,” Andjaba said.
He further noted that the Presidency will coordinate the implementation of the National Disability Council Act, as well as regional and international instruments related to disability issues.
“Our aim is to ensure effective and efficient delivery of service to people with disabilities because we believe that disability is not inability and there is also ability in disability,” Andjaba said.

NAMPA