Governors from all 14 regions of the country on Wednesday convened at Gobabis in the Omaheke Region for the third strategic session and Annual Governors' Retreat. Officially opening the meeting, chairperson of the regional governor's forum and Governor of Khomas Region, Laura McLeod Katjirua indicated that the annual gathering is aimed at brainstorming opportunities and challenges governors face in service delivery and executing their mandate. Katjirua said the meeting creates a platform for regional leaders to take stock and share common challenging realities, experiences, and constraints facing their respective regions. 'We have gathered here today to reflect on all the possible negative and positive modalities which influence our performance in our common desire to increase our operational efficiency as an important governing organ of the state at the sub-national level. This strategic session is also meant to offer a framework for us to generate some knowledge, skills, and benchmark practices through practical site visits and better insight into some important provisions of our code of conduct, laws, policies and regulations to guide us in our conduct during the execution of our mandates,' she said. Minister in the Presidency, Christine //Hoebes said the four-day gathering provides a valuable opportunity for governors to reflect on their responsibilities as public servants and the impact they can make on the lives of their fellow citizens. 'As regional governors you are at the forefront of implementing government programmes and policies, ensuring that they are effectively executed and delivering the desired outcomes. Your role is pivotal in transacting political vision in detachable results that improve the lives of our people. Political oversight is a fundamental pillar of our democratic system in ensuring accountability, transparency and responsiveness,' //Hoebes said. She added that through collective effort, the gap between political promises and the realities can be breached and called on the lead ers to continuously evaluate the progress of government programs, identify challenges and find innovative solutions to addressing them. 'Service delivery lies at the heart of our mandate, our citizens pay a high premium trust in us to provide them with essential services,' she concluded. Source: The Namibian Press Agency