Observer – Page 163 – Windhoek Observer

10 Nov

Dates exports on the increase

ObserverObserver Money

Chamwe Kaira Namibia exported fresh dates valued at N$2.6 million in September, which was destined to South Africa and Bangladesh. The Namibia Statistics Agency said over the entire period (September 2022 to September 2023), the value of fresh dates exported averaged N$10.3 million with the largest value of N$31 million recorded in February 2023 and the lowest values being recorded in September and December 2022 where no fresh dates were exported. On the demand side, during September, Namibia imported fresh dates valued at N$31 038 solely sourced from South Africa. In terms of trading blocks, Southern African Customs Union (SACU)…

10 Nov

African airlines air cargo volumes decline

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African airlines saw their air cargo volumes decline by 0.1 percent in September, despite the strong growth of demand on the Africa-Asia trade lane (+12.8 percent). This was an improvement in performance compared to August (-3.5 percent). Capacity was 2.7 percent above September 2022 levels. This was contained in International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) latest analysis of the air cargo market based on traffic and capacity data collected in the respective regions during September. IATA said global air cargo markets, showing continuing demand recovery. It said global demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs), increased by 1.9 percent compared to September…

10 Nov

City reveals debt write-off plans for qualifying residents

ObserverNational News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The City of Windhoek (CoW) has disclosed that it is finalising a submission to the council for a debt write-off program for qualifying debt-stricken residents. Mayor, Joseph Uapingene, at the ordinary council meeting this week said that as of 31 October 2023, the city has accrued debt of N$1.2 billion. Uapingene said the city sees the initiative as a step in alleviating financial burdens and aiding residents. “We believe that our work around this will conclude before the end of the year, and I regard this as a vital step towards alleviating financial burdens and helping our residents…

10 Nov

A limited amount of lithium ore can be exported again

ObserverObserver Money

Niël Terblanché Namibia's Ministry of Mines and Energy has granted permission for a one-off export of 6,000 tonnes of unprocessed lithium ore. This comes just weeks after a blanket ban was imposed on exporting and transporting the raw material. The go-ahead was given in a letter from Bryan Eiseb, the Executive Director of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, to the Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo. This decision follows a high-level meeting between the mining ministry staff and the Namibian Police top brass, aiming to reconcile regulatory compliance with economic activity. The permission is specifically…

10 Nov

CBIG beneficiaries cautioned against Swapo’s vote-garnering tricks

ObserverNational NewsCBIG beneficiaries cautioned against Swapo’s vote-garnering tricks

Martin Endjala Conditional Basic Income Grant (CBIG) beneficiaries have been cautioned not to fall into the trap of the Swapo Party’s attempts to garner votes for the 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections. The Rally for Democracy Progress’s (RDP) Secretary General, Kennedy Shekupakela, who is also a Member of Parliament, stated that this is a desperate attempt, by the incumbent government to convince Namibians to vote for them, while the programme in itself is not sustainable. “This is a desperate attempt to secure votes for 2024. The sorry part of it is that our people in the villages will fall…

10 Nov

Geingob travels to Finland for Ahtisaari funeral

ObserverNational NewsGeingob travels to Finland for Ahtisaari funeral

Niël Terblanché President Hage Geingob of Namibia embarked on a solemn journey to Finland to attend the State Funeral of the former President of Finland, Martti Ahtisaari, who passed away recently. Ahtisaari’s relationship with Namibia dates back to his tenure as Ambassador of Finland to Tanzania. In 1975, he was appointed as a senator to the Council of the United Nations Institute for Namibia (UNIN), a position that eventually led to his appointment as Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Namibia in 1978 by then-United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim. In 1989, the United Nations Secretary-General appointed Ahtisaari to lead the…

10 Nov

Maternity leave pay requires actual evaluation: Nujoma

ObserverNational NewsMaternity leave pay requires actual evaluation: Nujoma

Stefanus Nashama The Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation, Utoni Nujoma in response to questions in Parliament, said the issue of full salary payments for women’s maternity leave requires an actual evaluation. Nujoma was responding to Popular Democratic Movement Member of Parliament, Winnie Moongo, who tabled a motion in September this year, to discuss the possibility of increasing the amount payable in respect of maternity leave. This, she said includes paying women their full salaries and extending maternity leave days. In response, the Minister said that the Social Security Commission exists to protect insured working Namibians from loss…

10 Nov

Namibia set to become biosecurity hub

ObserverNational NewsNamibia set to become biosecurity hub

Niël Terblanché Namibia is set to redefine agricultural innovation with the establishment of a state-of-the-art AgriTech hub by Got Produce Global, a leader in agricultural technology. Situated just outside Swakopmund, the facility is poised to become a pivotal biosecurity seed bank and breeding centre, setting new benchmarks for the agricultural industry in the region. The inauguration of the Got Produce Global innovation hub marks a significant milestone in agricultural research and development. The hub will concentrate on pioneering crop production methods, extensive crop variety assessments, and specialized training programs in hydroponics, equipping the local workforce with the skills necessary for…

10 Nov

Namibians should guard against cybercrimes during festive season

ObserverNational NewsNamibians should guard against cybercrimes during festive season

Martin Endjala Johann Van Rooyen, a Senior Technical Advisor at the Green Enterprise Solution has called on Namibian consumers to exercise a level of high alert amidst cybercrimes which often increase during the holiday season. He said the end of the year is filled with frantic shopping, Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and online shopping are the norm. Although in Namibia, most people still go to physical shops, there is a shift to shopping online, and this is where hackers see the window of opportunity. “As we approach the most wonderful time of the year, we start thinking about…

10 Nov

Teachers’ unions discuss possible salary increment

ObserverNational Newsand Namibia Public Workers Union (Nampu) this week held a meeting in the northern regions to discuss issues related to teachers’ salary increases., The Namibia National Teachers’ Union (Nantu)

Stefanus Nashama The Namibia National Teachers’ Union (Nantu), and Namibia Public Workers Union (Nampu) this week held a meeting in the northern regions to discuss issues related to teachers’ salary increases. According to Nantus’ Chairperson, Hosian Hitanua, the union has had several meetings with the government regarding the teachers’ salary increment. Hitanua indicated that the union continues to engage stakeholders to ensure all the demands of the teachers are met. “We will continue to engage the government on the matter. This is to ensure that the demands of our colleagues in the teaching industry are met,” the Chairperson said. He…