Namibia's President Hage Geingob and First Lady Monica Geingos will next month publicly declare all their personal assets for the sake of transparency.
During his maiden State of the Nation Address here Tuesday, the president said he and the First Lady were taking the step to help prevent undue benefits being accrued by public officials and to avoid conflict of interest.
Although the law does not require the Namibian Head of State to disclose his personal assets, Geingob said he felt obliged to do so. "These disclosures will be made in line with the belief that transparency starts at the top," he added.
"I am deeply convinced that accountability, transparency and inclusive leadership are for sustained socio-economic development and the improvement of the lives of all the people."
Geingob has engaged the professional services firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers Tax and Advisory Services (PWC) to assist him with an independent assessment of his assets. PWC will also assist the president to prepare a financial disclosure report, which he will present to the public in the second week of May 2015.
Geingob said he would also release his medical health reports for public scrutiny.
For the sake of consistency, he added, the First Lady would also disclose her personal assets, despite no legal requirement for her to do so.
He also assured the nation that Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila would ensure that civil servants equally disclosed all outside interests and sources of income independent from their employment in Government.
Geingob appealed to all ministers and their deputies to also issue Ministerial Declarations of Intent that will constitute a contract with the public on delivery to which they will be held accountable.
Namibia's third president opened his first State of the Nation Address saying: "The Namibian house is solid. The foundation is firm. The state of the nation is healthy. Now it is time to make sure that all who reside in the house are healthy, well educated, have decent employment and are well nourished."
Geingob said these are basic pre-requisites in the maintenance of a harmonious home.
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