Government warns misinformation could derail NDP6

Patience Makwele

Vice President Lucia Witbooi has warned that misinformation and weak public communication could undermine the implementation of Namibia’s Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), saying the government must strengthen how it engages citizens if it is to deliver on its development agenda.

Opening the second Effective Communicators Conference (ECC26) in Swakopmund on Thursday, Witbooi said communication has evolved beyond simply sharing information and has become central to governance, public trust and nation-building.

She cautioned that even well-designed government programmes risk falling short if citizens do not understand the policies driving them.

“We are determined to deliver and be judged on our key national priorities but it will be futile if there is no emphasis on the critical importance of strategic communication of these national priority areas,” she said.