Windhoek Observer

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Despite Shell’s recent announcement to write down US$400 million in PEL 39 from its operation in Namibia, other companies involved in the offshore oil discovery are moving forward with the project alongside the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (NAMCOR).  The oil, located in the Orange Basin, has been described as one of the world’s most promising oil and gas regions. Utaara Hoveka, a spokesperson for NAMCOR, confirmed over the weekend that post-well studies are being done by several joint venture (JV) partners, such as QatarEnergy (30%), Impact Oil and Gas Namibia (9.5%), and NAMCOR (10%).  These studies involve…

Martin Endjala A study conducted by Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) researchers raised concerns about unwarranted and possibly unlawful pretrial detentions by the Namibian Police.  The report, released on 16 January, indicated that the Windhoek Wanaheda, Katutura, and Otjomuise police stations for detaining citizens unlawfully. The study, conducted in 2022, was led by NUST’s principal investigator, Stefan Schulz, the deputy director of the department of social sciences under the faculty of commerce, human sciences, and education, along with five student research assistants.  The aim of the study was to determine the extent of unlawful detentions at the identified…

Pankratius Kondjamba  Energy continues to be a key driver for global economic growth. Energy sparked the first industrial revolution in the 1760s’ and continued to play a fundamental role in the subsequent revolutions. This era was marked by the invention of steam engines which made   use of water and the release of steam power leading to the rise of trains and mechanization of manufacturing. The availability of fuels like coal contributed to making the steam engine significant during this revolution period. The production of energy and its use contributes significantly to global warming. It is estimated to contribute about…

Stefanus Nashama The mayor of Windhoek, Ndeshihafela Laranja, has expressed satisfaction with the positive response from flood victims, who were recently relocated to new settlements in the city.  On Friday, during her first official visit to Goreangab, Laranja confirmed that the people who had to move are happy with the new site's layout and conditions. “At the relocation centre, the layout is well executed, and so far, the relocated residents are happy with the set-up,” Laranja stated. She said the municipality had been working diligently to ensure that flood victims were provided with improved living conditions. Laranja observed that the…

Martin Endjala The Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia (LLPBN), formerly known as the Meat Board of Namibia, has announced an increase in stock brand fees. The announcement indicated that the new fees became effective on 8 January. A stock brand fee is paid to register a unique identifying brand mark used on livestock in Namibia.  This mark ensures that livestock can be traced back to their owner if found. The Stock Brands Act No. 24 of 1995 governs the fee and regulates livestock identification in the country.  It covers the cost of officially registering an owner's cattle brand.…