The National Assembly yesterday resumed its sessions after the summer break and opposition MPs were ready to pepper Cabinet Ministers with questions.

After the usual hugs and kisses exchanged by those MPs who were delighted to see each other again, Tsudao Gurirab of the CoD fired away and asked Local and Regional Government Minister Jerry Ekandjo how many municipalities, village councils and regional councils lagged behind with their annual financial statements.

"What is undertaken to ensure that they submit these reports?" Gurirab asked Ekandjo. He further asked whether the succession dispute in the Ovambanderu community had been resolved and whether the Minister could inform the House on progress made on the issue.

Jurie Viljoen of MAG asked the Prime Minister whether the envisaged performance system had been introduced in the Civil Service. "Is the objectivity of this system and its supervisors guaranteed? Will there be a penalty clause for non-performers?" Viljoen asked.

Kaveri Kavari of the CoD asked Gender Equality and Child Welfare Minister Marlene Mungunda whether the children of prisoners were regarded as "vulnerable children". Turning to Information Minister Joel Kaapanda, Kavari asked him why the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) had such a high turnover of directors general.

"Not one of them has finished his five-year term since Independence. What are the requirements for this post and can those who are not Swapo members also apply?" she asked.

Gurirab of the CoD announced that he would introduce a motion next week asking the House to debate on the "deteriorating situation of the NBC" and how this could be remedied. Elma Dienda, also of the CoD, wanted to know from Education Minister John Mutorwa why his Ministry had suddenly extended the working hours of schoolteachers to 16h00.

"Was this discussed with them and with the labour unions?" she asked.

Several ministers tabled reports of State-owned enterprises like Namib-re, Telecom, the Tender Board and the Office of the Ombudsman. Debate then resumed on a motion by Veteran Affairs Minister Ngarikutuke Tjiriange to reduce the quorum of MPs. The debate was adjourned in October, when Parliament went into recess.

Due to increased absenteeism in 2009, several sessions of the National Assembly had to be cancelled. Tjiriange asked for fewer than 37 of the 72 voting MPs to be present in the House to continue business, but the opposition is against this.

The CoD's Dienda yesterday said MPs should ask themselves if they wanted to be part-time parliamentarians or fulltime farmers and business people. "I rather support sitting allowances (per day). This means if one is not in the House, then one does not get paid - no work, no pay," Dienda proposed.