PM to shuffle PSs
By Staff Reporter

Prime Minister Nahas Angula is set to shuffle several permanent secretaries and appoint new ones today, Friday, to replace those who would not be reappointed and those who are going on retirement.

It is not yet clear which permanent secretaries will move but the “rearrangement,” as the Prime Minister’s Office calls the process, will see several of them moving from one ministry to another ministry or agency.

The reshuffle has been on the card for sometimes now. Shortly after President Hifikepunye Pohamba announced his new Cabinet this year, speculations have been rife that permanent secretaries, too, would change.

A one paragraph media release from the Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday simply invited the media to attend a media briefing by Prime Minister Angula on redeployment of permanent secretaries.

Education Permanent Secretary Vitalis Ankama is going on retirement and is not keen to have some years added to his service. He has been with the Ministry of Education since independence.

He moved to the Ministry of Higher Education and Employment Creation in 1995 when the Education Ministry was split into two, only to return later when the Ministry was merged once again.

Late last year and early this year, some newspapers reported that Regional and Local Government and Housing and Rural Development Permanent Secretary, Erastus Negonga, and the Executive Director at State House, Ndali Kamati, had received letters that their contract would not be renewed.

This, however, has not been officially confirmed. The Prime Minister’s media briefing this morning, (Friday), will put such speculations to rest.