Observer – Page 370 – Windhoek Observer

23 Jan

Agronomic Board forecasts 62% shortages in horticulture products

ObserverNational NewsAgronomic Board forecasts 62% shortages in horticulture products

Tujoromajo Kasuto The Namibia Agronomic Board (NAB) has forecasted a 62 percent shortage in horticultural products it analyses, where more severe shortages are expected for lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, carrots, onions, potatoes, cabbage and butternuts between January and May 2023. This comes as crop farming production forecasts look bleak for the first quarter of 2023 following the latest field verification exercise conducted by the Board. Only the forecasted tonnage for green peppers and colour peppers production is expected to be sufficient in meeting local demand and their forecasted tonnage is estimated to place them as the top soft commodities…

23 Jan

Education Ministry revises budgetary allocations to mitigate education quality

ObserverNational NewsEducation Ministry revises budgetary allocations to mitigate education quality, National Conference on Education (NCE), Sanet Steenkamp

Tujoromajo Kasuto Sanet Steenkamp, executive director of the Ministry of Education, Arts, and Culture, states In terms of what can be done to improve the quality of public schools, the Ministry has resolved to introduce targeted funding for the monitoring, evaluation, rehabilitation and construction of appropriate and adequate education physical facilities, including funding for temporal structures. Furthermore, to increase budgetary allocation for the procurement of teaching and learning resources physical and human. “With the support from Institutions of Higher Learning and other stakeholders, the Ministry will introduce targeted funding for continuous professional development for teachers’ in-service, as well as targeted…

23 Jan

NYS says payment of salaries not due to protest pressure

ObserverNational Newsbut that plans to pay workers’ salaries was already in the process., Felix Musukubili, The National Youth Service said that the payment of its employees’ salaries was not paid due to the pressure of the protests

Martin Endjala The National Youth Service said that the payment of its employees’ salaries was not paid due to the pressure of the protests, but that plans to pay workers’ salaries was already in the process. “It should be noted that the guards’ salaries were not paid as a result of the guards illegal industrial action, nor did YSS deliberately withhold the guards salaries as alleged and speculated. The salaries were paid on receipt of payment of invoices by the clients, which in any event would have been paid on the 18thJanuary, hence the unfortunate delay”. These were the remarks…

23 Jan

Poacher killed during shootout

ObserverNational Newsm Romeo Muyunda, Poacher killed during shootout

Staff writer A suspected poacher died last Saturday and another one seriously injured during a shootout with members of the Namibian Wildlife Protection. Meanwhile, another suspect, aged 27 was arrested today. It is alleged that the poachers were in pursuit of a rhino cow and small calf at farm Okarakua, Windhoek district. Spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Romeo Muyunda said this is the first poaching incident of the year however it was unfortunate a life was lost. “Its unfortunate that a person lost his life. We commend the team that was involved, for their work in…

Opposition parties call for withdrawal<br>of tender to supply condoms

20 Jan

Opposition parties call for withdrawal
of tender to supply condoms

ObserverNational NewsOpposition parties call for withdrawal of tender to supply condoms, Shapwa Kanyama

Martin Endjala Opposition parties have come out strongly to condemn the tender awarded by the Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) to a company, owned by Shapwa Kanyama, to supply condoms amongst other things. It is reported that Kanyama’s company got the tender, despite bidding N$ 265.8 million more than the next highest bidder. The private owned company Amnics Trading, won three lucrative medical supply tenders, which includes the supply of surgical gloves and condoms worth N$650 million. The said company previously owned by a Taiwanese born South African National and Zimbabwean, now owned by well known Kanyama, will supply…

20 Jan

Shaningwa refutes “instructions to free Indians” rumor

ObserverNational NewsAli Ndhalalni, Shaningwa refutes “instructions to free Indians” rumor

Staff Writer Sophia Shaningwa, the Secretary General of Swapo, has refuted accusations made by the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) that Ali Dharani, the Director of the Rani Group of Companies, gave her orders to free detained Indian and Angolan nationals. “How could I order for them to be released? It is all nonsense and you were supposed to tell them yourself because firstly I don’t even work for the Ministry of Home Affairs and i am not the minister to run immigration affairs. Where does SWAPO secretary General come in this story?,” said Shaningwa. The foreign nationals were allegedly…

20 Jan

Vehicle affordability to remain on an upward trajectory for 2023

ObserverNational NewsTheo Klein, Vehicle affordability to remain on an upward trajectory for 2023

Tujoromajo Kasuto Simonis Storm Securities has hinted that vehicle sales are likely to stay on an upward trajectory as commodity prices continue to fall until mid-2023, and the supply of new vehicles from foreign factories should increase beginning in mid-2023, along with ongoing spending momentum from last year. According to Theo Klein, the firm’s Economist, commercial cars in particular should experience increased sales due to favourable mining and transportation sector development estimates for 2023, as well as the installation of green hydrogen projects along the coast. He predicted that shipping costs would continue to fall as the Rand strengthened as…

19 Jan

BoN sets limit on board tenures, age limits for Directors

ObserverNational Newsage limits for Directors, BoN sets limit on board tenures

A limit on the number of boards an individual can serve has now been passed by the Bank of Namibia, and the age limit for independent Directors and Chairpersons is 70, an announcement was made today. The bank today announced it has issued a revamped Determination on the Appointment, Duties, and Responsibilities of Directors, Principal Officers, and Executive Officers of Banking Institutions and Controlling Companies to improve the corporate governance of banking institutions. The central Bank’s Director for Strategic Communications and International Relations Kazembire Zemburuka said it’s the first time the bank has set limits on the number of years…

19 Jan

IUM rubbishes Amushelelo’s call for free registration

ObserverNational NewsIUM rubbishes Amushelelo’s call for free registration, Lawyer Sisa Namandje

Tujoromajo Kasuto The International University of Management, through its lawyers, has rejected calls by Michael Amushelelo of the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) to stop demanding registration fees for students, asserting that the institution is private, duly registered, and operating in accordance with the relevant laws, which do not obligate it to provide free tertiary education. In a response to Amushelelo’s demands, Lawyer Sisa Namandje states that their client fails to understand the basis of the demand. He further states that their client shall not obey the “ill-founded, baseless, unlawful, unreasonable, and unfair demands”, whilst highlighting that IUM shall continue…

19 Jan

Swartbooi has no power to suspend councilors-Witbooi on suspension

ObserverNational Newse Keetmanshoop Rural Constituency Councillor Geritt Witbooi, Swartbooi has no power to suspend councilors-Witbooi on suspension

Martin Endjala The Keetmanshoop Rural Constituency Councillor Geritt Witbooi who was just suspended from the Landless People’s Movement(LPM) says party leader Bernardus Swartbooi has no power to institute the suspension of a regional councillor, that the power lies with the Kharas regional council. Witbooi was suspended from regional Council activities in the Kharas region with immediate effect, in a letter dated 8 December 2022, by Swartbooi, who also stopped him from continuing with party activities. He is further suspended from six management committee meetings of the council. Witbooi was elected in November 2020. Last year in November, he was accused…