Observer – Page 610 – Windhoek Observer

25 Mar

Sweat pants and baggy shirts for me please, the tales of a young entrepreneur

I believe there is a big misconception with regards to what a business owner/entrepreneur is. Many have been sold the suit and tie symbolic status with regards to what it means to be a business owner. Rarely have I seen the highlights on the brutal truths on what the business market entails. Sleepless nights, financial constraints and may I never live to forget the anxiety, fear and doubt that never leaves the minds of those who decide to venture into the unpredictable world of the business market. Hi, my name is Nelago Johannes, I am 23-years-old and I run a…

25 Mar

96 succumb to COVID in one month …As Namibia surpasses the 500 mark in deaths

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS)

Rose-Mary Haufiku and Maria Hamutenya Namibia’s COVID-19 death toll continues to grow at an exponential rate, with the country recording over 96 deaths in one month. Since the outbreak of the virus, the country’s COVID-19 deaths have now surpassed the 500 mark according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS), with a total of 502 deaths recorded. This comes after four deaths were announced from Omuthiya, Tsumeb, Gobabis and Mariental districts. Namibia began its first roll-out of the Chinese manufactured Sinopharm vaccine last Friday after receiving 100 000 doses from China, and an additional…

25 Mar

Namibia gets N$1.5 billion AfDB loan …as planned use is questioned

ObserverObserver MoneyAfrica Development Bank (AfDB), Finance minister, Iipumbu Shiimi

Andrew Kathindi Africa Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a USD100.27 million (N$1.5 billion) to the Namibian government to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and help maintain Government’s welfare programmes. The approval of the loan to be repaid over 15 years on Wednesday 17 March 2021, follows a government request which was made in June last year. "As the country prepares for the post-pandemic era, the Government is pursuing reforms in a wide range of areas. The proposed Governance and Economic Recovery Support Programme (GERSP) operation is designed to support the Government's response and help to achieve inclusive post-pandemic…

24 Mar

Stanford Seed programme, a growth catalyst for entrepreneurs

ObserverUncategorisedentrepreneurs, Stanford Seed Transformation

Staff Writer The Stanford Seed Transformation initiative, is a programme which partners with entrepreneurs in emerging markets to build successful enterprises that transform lives. It has returned at a timely opportunity for Namibian entrepreneurs to expand their capacity to succeed. The programme, a collaboration between the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the De Beers Group, allows leaders to gain critical skills to grow their companies and create jobs which in turn will lead their regions to greater prosperity. With applications for the 2021/22 Southern Africa Seed Transformation Program (STP) now open, entrepreneurs with a mind-set to grow their businesses…

24 Mar

Pendukeni demands answers from Kapofi

ObserverObserver MoneyFrans Kapofi, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri Former Home Affairs minister, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, has demanded answers from Home Affairs, Immigration and Security Minister, Frans Kapofi, after the minister accused her of being the cause of the current problems facing the ministry. According to the Namibian Sun, Kapofi was not pleased with the credit given to his predecessor for bringing efficiency to the Home Affairs ministry’s operations. “Ask Mr. Kapofi himself, what has collapsed? Is it the computerised system? Is it those who were trained to operate them? What has really collapse?” According to Iivula-Ithana, Kapofi should not just state that things have collapsed with no…

24 Mar

Namcor in N$600 million fuel fix

ObserverObserver MoneyNAMCOR, Namibia Competition Commission (NaCC), National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor)

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri The National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor) is in fix after importing fuel worth N$600 million despite its service stations only able to consume eight percent of the order. Namcor imported 20 million litres of ULP (unleaded petrol) of which 3.6 million litres still remain, 37 million litres of ADO (diesel) of which 17 million litres still remain, and nine million litres of lower sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) of which four million litres are still remaining. The large volume of the import, brought in the country as part of the commissioning of the National Oil Storage Facility, has…

20 Mar

The question so much is whether There’s still exploitation or not?

ObserverUncategorised

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro What went wrong with the socialist project? Read a headline to an opinion article by Uaripi Tjihenuna in the New Era last Wednesday. What a screaming headline, Yours Truly Ideologically could not but observe. Only that it was an opinion article, and tucked and/or hidden away for that matter on the eighth page of the edition, while to my mind it warranted the front page, to give more visibility and essence to its scream in view of the relevance and pertinence the author is raising in the article. This is a question that is long overdue if not…

20 Mar

The Time Traveler: Why I support ‘economic empowerment’

ObserverUncategorisedNational Equitable Economic Empowerment Bill (NEEEB), ‘economic empowerment

Hugh Ellis The National Equitable Economic Empowerment bill (Neeeb) will soon be tabled in Parliament. Exactly what the latest version of the bill says - word-for-word - is not yet clear. While there were shortcomings in the previous drafts, it is hard not to agree with the principles of empowerment that they represent. I don’t agree with the apparent demand of the ‘private sector’ (here seeming to mean long-established businesses) to approve almost every last word before the bill goes before the National Assembly. It’s noble to consult the ‘haves’ of society, but eventually, if those who have already eaten…

20 Mar

COVID-19 hits NTB revenues

ObserverUncategorisedCOVID-19 hits NTB revenues, Digu //Naobeb, Namibia Tourism Board (NTB), Romeo Muyunda

By Maria Hamutenya THE COVID-19 pandemic devasted Namibia’s tourism sector to an extent that the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) only generated N$3 million in levies from October 2020 to March 2021. NTB chief executive officer Digu //Naobeb said this is a massive drop compared to N$17 million the board between October 2019 and March 2020, before the onset of the pandemic. “During that period, our revenue was N$17 million, and compared to the period from October 2020 to March 2021 we only made N$3 million. We are short by N$14 million,” he said. //Naobeb said the situation has been compounded…

20 Mar

Muinjangue takes first Sinopharm jab

ObserverUncategorisedDr Theo-Ben Kandetu, Ester Utjiua Muinjangue, Sinopharm jab

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri and Rose-Mary Haufiku DEPUTY minister of health, Ester Utjiua Muinjangue, became the first Namibian to be vaccinated against COVID-19 with the Chinese drug Sinopharm on Friday. Muinjangue said she took the vaccine to dispel fears about the safety of the drug which arrived in the country on Wednesday. “I did it to set an example and to encourage others to do so. We are leaders and we are requesting the community to get vaccinated. ‘’I am not worried because I know there are people in other countries who took it before us and are doing fine. Therefore, I…