Observer – Page 63 – Windhoek Observer

17 Mar

President Mbumba engages Northern traditional leaders

ObserverNational NewsPresident Mbumba engages Northern traditional leaders

Niël Terblanché President Nangolo Mbumba met with leaders of the eight northern traditional authorities at Oshakati to solidify his relationship with the region's custodians of tradition and formally announce his incumbency as Head of State. The meeting also served as a platform for the President to inform the leaders of his commitment to unity and cooperation and to address pressing environmental and agricultural challenges facing the northern regions. Elenga Enene Herman Iipumbu, chairperson of the eight traditional authorities and representative of the Uukwambi Traditional Authority, conveyed the region's concerns to the President. The foremost issue highlighted was the inadequate rainfall…

17 Mar

Shifeta calls for collective action to mitigate the impact of drought

ObserverNational NewsShifeta calls for collective action to mitigate the impact of drought

Niël Terblanché During the Commemoration of World Wetlands Day and World Water Day 2024 in Opuwo, Kunene Region, the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, emphasized the severe impact of prolonged drought on both conservation efforts and the livelihoods of local communities. With the themes "Wetlands and Human Wellbeing" and "Leveraging Water for Peace," the minister stressed the critical challenges faced by the region since 2012, punctuated by only sporadic good rainy seasons. Shifeta, while addressing a gathering of community members, shed light on the dire water scarcity impacting the Kunene Region, noting a concerning trend of boreholes…

17 Mar

Pipeline nears completion as Kunene battles drought

ObserverNational NewsPipeline nears completion as Kunene battles drought

Niël Terblanché In an effort to address the perennial water scarcity in the Kunene Region, the Namibian Government's Ohamaremba-Okangwati Pipeline project has achieved a remarkable 79 percent completion rate. The Minister of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, Calle Schlettwein, announced that the pipeline, set to be fully operational by July, will supply potable water to the Okanguati settlement from the Ohamaremba aquifer, heralding a new era of water accessibility in the region. The minister made the revelation during the dual Commemoration of World Wetlands Day and World Water Day 2024, held in Opuwo, under the banners of "Wetlands and Human…

17 Mar

Gobabis municipality forges ahead with unauthorized salary increases amid financial struggles

ObserverMainGobabis municipality forges ahead with unauthorized salary increases amid financial struggles

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Gobabis Municipality is embroiled in a heated dispute over a proposed 4 percent salary increase for its employees, despite dire financial warnings and mounting debts. An open letter addressed to the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni, this week by the town’s former mayor Elvire Theron and Management Committee member Isak de Beer alleges breaches of protocol, including the unauthorised negotiation and signing of salary increase agreement with Namibia Public Workers Union (NAPWU) by the municipality’s Chief Executive Officer, (CEO) Sophia Eises. The letter highlights that the decision was made without proper authorisation, igniting a fierce…

17 Mar

Subsea cable failures to blame for poor internet Connection

ObserverNational NewsSubsea cable failures to blame for poor internet Connection

Niël Terblanché Namibians reliant on the internet voiced severe frustration as a significant internet service disruption has left numerous countries across West and Central Africa wrestling with connectivity issues, following failures in several subsea cables. The cause of the outage, which occurred on Thursday, remains undetermined, sparking widespread concern among the affected nations, including Namibia and Lesotho. Seacom, a major operator of African subsea cable systems, confirmed the disruption to its West African cable service. In response, the company has redirected its customers to an alternative route via the Google Equiano cable, a process that occurs automatically to mitigate the…

15 Mar

NAU offers relief to farmers amid severe drought

ObserverNational NewsNAU offers relief to farmers amid severe drought

Niël Terblanché To mitigate the tangible possibility of the economic ruin of members amidst the ongoing drought affecting Namibia, the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) has announced measures aimed at alleviating the financial burden on the nation’s farmers. During a meeting on 12 March 2024, the NAU Executive Council decided to offer a N$1,000 discount on the annual membership fee for its main members, recognizing the extreme hardships that the agricultural community is currently facing. The drought in Namibia has reached critical levels, with recent reports indicating that many regions are experiencing their lowest rainfall levels in years, leading to substantial…

15 Mar

Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund grows by N$425 million

ObserverNational NewsWelwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund grows by N$425 million

Martin Endjala President Nangolo Mbumba, yesterday said since the establishment of the Welwitschia Sovereign Wealth Fund, its investment returns have grown from the initial seed capital of N$262 million to N$425 million. The Fund was created in preparation for a bountiful harvest to come. Mbumba said this during the State of the Nation Address in the National Assembly. The Fund was launched in May 2022, by the late President Hage Geingob. Mbumba said Namibia’s economic trajectory is promising, with a projected medium-term growth forecast of between 3 and 4 percent. “President Geingob envisioned a Namibia free from hunger and poverty,…

15 Mar

Schlettwein calls for collaborative action for sustainable water supply

ObserverNational NewsSchlettwein calls for collaborative action for sustainable water supply

Niël Terblanché During the commemoration of World Wetlands Day and World Water Day 2024, held in Opuwo, Namibian Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Calle Schlettwein stressed the urgent need for enhanced collaboration across sectors to ensure sustainable water access for the nation. Amidst growing concerns over severe drought condition brought on by climate change and the impact on water scarcity, Schlettwein’s stated that water management and conservation must be prioritized to secure the well-being of the population. “Access to water is a basic human right, essential for life, food production, cultural norms, provision of health, education, economic activities,…

15 Mar

Namcor drills Mopane-2X exploration to its designated depth

ObserverNational NewsNamcor drills Mopane-2X exploration to its designated depth

Martin Endjala National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor), has today announced that it has successfully drilled the Mopane-2ꓫ exploration well to its designated depth in Block 2813A (PEL83), Orange Basin, offshore of Namibia. With its ten percent carried interest, in conjunction with its partners Galp Energia (80 percent, operator) and Custos Energy’s 10 percent, drilling encountered a significant column with light oil in reservoirs of high quality. According to Namcor’s Interim Managing Director, Ebson Uanguta the AVO-3 exploration target, the AVO-1 appraisal target, and a deeper target were fully cored and logged. The AVO-1 appraisal target Uanguta said, found the…

15 Mar

Uutoni suspends entire Karasburg Town Council

ObserverMainUutoni suspends entire Karasburg Town Council

Martin Endjala Urban and Rural Development Minister, Erastus Uutoni has suspended the entire Karasburg Town Council, without remuneration or allowance, with immediate effect. The drastic action followed after the council defied the directives of the Local Authority Act as well as failing to comply with the directives of the Minister which he issued last year. The Minister’s decision is contained in the Government Gazette Notice released today, under Section 92(2) of the LA No 23 of 1992. As a result, the Minister has appointed the former Chief Executive Officer of the Aroab Village Council, Elize Laubscher as the administrator to…