In Namibia, the Steering Board members cut across a broad spectrum of representatives from line ministries, umbrella organizations for businesses, SMEs and civil society, and the associations of local authorities and regional councils. The remit of the Steering Board is to guide the Programme and act as a backstopping body. The Steering Board has met every three months initially and subsequently every six. Regular meetings have been held to discuss progress and implementation issues. More actors have been involved in the Steering Board in the course of the Programme. Next to the Steering Board, Technical Committees have been set up: Information and Dissemination, Capacity Building, Policy and Legislation, and Donor Coordination.
The MRLGH has mainstreamed and integrated the PPPUE Programme and the PCU activities into its operations. Four officials form the MRLGH have been appointed to carry out PCU activities. The advantages of having the PCU hosted within the MRLGH include: clear link and relationship, consistent approach, direct channels of communication both formal and informal, positive impact on funding mobilization, ownership and ensured sustainability on the part of a key actor. The disadvantages consist of: excessive public sector focus, lack of understanding of private sector needs, tendency to centralize decisions, sub-optimal consultation processes, failure to promote ownership among partner organizations, bureaucratic procedures.
In Namibia the new institutional framework for local government has brought up a lot of challenges for both central and local government. The effect of decentralization has been positive since central government does not have the complete responsibility. Local authorities have been forced to learn by doing and taking up the responsibility for certain activities even if lacking resources.