Observer – Page 362 – Windhoek Observer

Reduction in road accidents<br>during festive season

01 Feb

Reduction in road accidents
during festive season

ObserverNational NewsMotor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA), Oshana, Otjozondjupa and Oshikoto, Reduction in road accidents during festive season

Martin Endjala Motor vehicle accidents and injuries related have reduced with 14.4 percent and 17.5 percent respectively, while fatalities have reduced by 42.2 percent compared to the previous festive season road safety campaign period. This is according to the latest 2022/23 festive season road safety report of the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA). Namibia recorded 403 road crashes in 2022, compared to 471 in 2021. The fund revealed that injuries stood at 766 in 2022 and 928 in 2021, while fatalities stood at 67 in 2022 and 116 in 2021. In addition to this, Oshana,Otjozondjupa and Oshikoto recorded the most…

N$23m worth of summons<br>issued during festive season

31 Jan

N$23m worth of summons
issued during festive season

ObserverNational NewsMajor General Elias Mutota, N$23m worth of summons issued during festive season

Tujoromajo Kasuto The Namibian Police today announced that a total 26 332 summons were issued during the festive season road safety campaign, with a monetary value of N$23 996 708, and 1 312 un-roadworthy vehicles were suspended from further usage. Deputy Inspector-General for Operations, Major General Elias Mutota also revealed at a press conference that a total 1758 criminal cases were recorded countrywide. According to Mutota, 2022/2023 Festive season crime prevention operations recorded various serious crimes, in that a total 1758 criminal cases were recorded countrywide, compared to 1621 criminal cases recorded during the 2021/2022 festive season, which translate to…

31 Jan

Geingob urges SADC leaders to take decisive action to address insecurity in the region

ObserverNational NewsDefence and Security Cooperation, Geingob urges SADC leaders to take decisive action to address insecurity in the region, Southern African Development Community Organ on Politics

Martin Endjala President Hage Geingob in his capacity as the Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation has urged SADC leaders to take decisive action in addressing issues of insecurity in the region, adding that it is incumbent upon them as leaders of SADC seized with the well-being and welfare of close to 400 million citizens, to reinvent new approaches to find solutions to old problems that have been troubling the region for so long. “I stated on a previous occasion that without peace, development cannot take place and without development we cannot…

31 Jan

Women, Youth and SMEs favored in new procurement code

ObserverNational NewsWomen, Youth and SMEs favored in new procurement code

Tujoromajo Kasuto The Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprise today launched the Code of Good Practice on Preferences, referred to in Sections 71 and 72 of the Public Procurement Act, with the goal of facilitating easier market access for youth, women, small and medium enterprises , and manufacturers, as well as granting national preference to Namibian suppliers. The Code of Good Practice, according to Minister of Finance and Public Enterprise Ipumbu Shiimi, aims to achieve granting exclusive preferences to local suppliers as defined in the recently amended Public Procurement Act through the reservation of certain procurement of goods, works, and…

31 Jan

Traffic warrants amnesty period extended

ObserverNational NewsTraffic warrants amnesty period extended, Viktoria Hango

Martin Endjala The judiciary today said it is extending the amnesty that was granted to all members of the public with pending traffic warrants of arrest to pay admission of guilt fines for a further two months. Persons in this category now have until 31 March 2023 to pay their warrants without any repercussions, this is after the amnesty granted as from 1 November 2022 to 31 January 2023 lapsed. During the period of amnesty, an accused with a pending warrant of arrest must appear in Court. Accused persons who intent to pay admission of guilt fine, are allowed to…

31 Jan

Weak, uncertain global outlook a risk to economy

ObserverNational NewsRand Merchant Bank’s (RMB), uncertain global outlook a risk to economy, Weak

Staff Writer The global economy will contend with slower economic growth in 2023 according to the Rand Merchant Bank’s (RMB) Africa Year-ahead Outlook. A recessionary environment is expected and both the IMF and World Bank have slashed their growth forecasts materially owing to elevated interest rates, deteriorating financial conditions and a slowdown in growth-enhancing investments. Similarly, the Russia-Ukraine war remains the key geopolitical risk, the effects of which are costly to the global economy. “The weak global outlook presents a key risk to external demand for mining commodities and tourist services. We therefore expect GDP growth to moderate from 4.1%…

31 Jan

Agriculture ministry vows to make water accessible

ObserverNational News

Staff Writer The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform says it is focused on various interventions such as upgrading existing water infrastructure, construction of new water supply infrastructure, improvement of the management of existing water sources and enhancement of transboundary water cooperation to facilitate easy water access nationwide. Minister Of Agriculture, Water And Land Reform, Carl Schlettwein at an annual staff and stakeholder address on Monday said that no development could occur without water, hence the priority that is accorded to the security of water supply in NDP5 and HPPII. He said that the high priority for the security…

31 Jan

NAMPOA elects new leadership

ObserverNational NewsKlaus Endresen, Namibia Petroleum Operators Association (NAMPOA), NAMPOA elects new leadership, Norwegian oil company BW Kudu

The Namibia Petroleum Operators Association (NAMPOA) has elected a new leadership, of which General Manager for the Norwegian oil company BW Kudu, Klaus Endresen, was re-elected as the chairperson of the association. “With the encouraging exploration results announced in 2022, Namibia has now become an international hot spot for the global oil and gas industry. The interest for exploration opportunities in Namibia is significant. The leadership capacity of NAMPOA has been expanded to enable the handling of the increasing workload for our association,” Endresen said. NAMCOR’s upstream exploration Asset Manager, Martin Negonga, is the newly elected vice chairperson, taking over…

Katutura Hospital kiddies ward out<br>of beds, babies sleeping on mattresses

30 Jan

Katutura Hospital kiddies ward out
of beds, babies sleeping on mattresses

ObserverNational Newsbabies sleeping on mattresses, Katutura Hospital kiddies ward out of beds, r Ben Nangomb

The Katutura Hospital pediatric Ward 8A and 8B which has the capacity to admit 84 pediatric patients is currently making use of mattresses for mothers and their admitted babies due to the lack of physical space availability. Ministry of Health and Social Services Executive director Ben Nangombe said that 85 percent of the population depends on the public health sector. “The people of Namibia are increasingly adopting health seeking behaviour. Whenever they or their family members are unwell, they visit health facilities for treatment or admission. The majority are treated and admitted at public health facilities. This reflects the confidence…

CPBN acting chairperson<br>labelled as a defender of corruption

30 Jan

CPBN acting chairperson
labelled as a defender of corruption

ObserverNational NewsAmon Ngavetene, CPBN acting chairperson labelled as a defender of corruption

Martin Endjala The Central Procurement Board of Namibia acting chairperson Amon Ngavetene has been labelled as a defender of corruption by the Landless People’s Movement party following his said defensive response to the N$650 million medical tender. LPM leader Bernadus Swartbooi took a swipe to the CPBN chairperson calling him a defender of corruption, a alleging that he is shadowing those committing corruption and continue to do so as long as he continues to be arrogant and ignoring public concerns. The leader said this during their first press briefing last week, stressing that it is wrong for a public entity…