Namibia's Justice and Labour Relations Minister Fillemon Wise Immanuel has identified resolving the employment contract issues of 2 700 employees as a top priority. These employees are currently placed at RANI Traders CC through Employees Placement Services Namibia CC (EPSN). Immanuel made this statement while officially opening the ministry's four-day senior management retreat at Gobabis in the Omaheke Region.
The retreat, themed "Stronger Together," runs from 28 to 31 October and brings together senior officials from the departments of Justice and Labour Relations. The event aims to discuss institutional coordination, leadership, and improved service delivery. Immanuel emphasized that resolving the employment contract issues is an example of the difficult decisions leaders must make when balancing competing responsibilities.
Immanuel recently declined a request from the international relations office to accompany President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to Moscow, Russia, citing his responsibilities at the ministry. He stressed that his priority lies in resolving the employment contract issues of the 2 700 employees. The minister challenged senior managers to rethink their leadership roles, arguing that technical expertise alone is insufficient in an increasingly complex working environment.
Immanuel emphasized that modern leadership depends on influence, vision, and the ability to inspire teams towards shared objectives. He stated that leaders must create an environment where their presence brings clarity, direction, and a shared understanding of institutional goals. According to Immanuel, leadership is defined by social capital, measured by one's level of influence.
The retreat aims to help senior managers establish meaningful connections between people, technology, processes, and institutional systems to improve organisational performance. Immanuel stated that the purpose of the meeting is to redefine their roles, contextualise their thinking, and create a meaningful interface between their thoughts, people, technology, processes, and systems.
Immanuel called for stronger institutional systems that ensure decisions are predictable, consistent, and guided by established principles rather than the personality of individual leaders. He stressed the importance of making difficult decisions about priorities and managing staff responsibilities according to operational requirements. The retreat will also address estate administration processes, proposed legislative and policy reforms, and systems interoperability.
The event includes team-building activities to strengthen trust, communication, collaboration, and collective problem-solving among senior managers. Immanuel urged officials to challenge one another constructively, identify institutional weaknesses, and work towards solutions that improve the ministry's effectiveness. He encouraged the team to critique one another and ask questions that will help them move forward.
Key points
- Minister Immanuel prioritizes resolving employment contract issues for 2 700 employees.
- The minister emphasizes the importance of modern leadership and influence in achieving institutional goals.
- The retreat aims to improve organisational performance and service delivery to Namibians.
