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Hertta-Maria Amutenja Auditor General Junias Kandjeke has revealed that the Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB) failed to comply with key provisions outlined in its Memorandum of Agreement. In the report on the accounts of NAB for the financial years ended 31 March 2022 and 2023, Kandjeke highlighted a breach in Article 8, paragraph 5.2, which mandates the appointment of an arbitrator under the approval of the Minister. “The Board terminated the service of its agent, the Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency (AMTA), at year-end 31 March 2020 without the Minister's approval, which is in contravention with Section 10(1)(g) of the Agronomic Industry…

Niël Terblanché Two female tourists, aged 69 and 72 succumbed to injuries on the scene of a horrific crash which involved three buses and a self-drive tourist car on the C214 Road between Walvis Bay and the Kuiseb River Canyon on Wednesday. The crash occurred when the brakes of a Scania tour bus that was driving downhill from the direction of Windhoek, allegedly failed. According to Chief Inspector Ileni Shapumba, the head of the community affairs division of the Erongo police, the driver of the bus lost control and smashed into a stationary bakkie and a smaller tourist bus that…

Niël Terblanché The Namibian government will have to remain steadfast in its dual commitment to environmental preservation and economic prosperity when tackling the development of the oil and gas industry. At the official opening of the Namibia International Energy Conference 2024, the Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo gave the assurance that the nation's mushrooming oil and gas industry aligns with stringent environmental regulations. The conference in Windhoek is presented under the theme, ‘Reimagine Resource-Rich Namibia: Turning Possibilities into Prosperity’. “Those who critique the environmental implications often do so from a place of comfort, detached from the realities faced…

Martin Endjala RedForce Debt Management has threatened to take legal action against the Municipality of Walvis Bay for breach of contract. This follows the motion that was passed by the council to terminate the contract earlier this week. RedForce’s deputy chief executive and legal advisor, Magaret Malambo told Windhoek Observer that the company finds it very comical for the council to terminate a valid contract already in place. “We find it very alarming and comical that the council has passed a motion contrary to the signed contract terms between the parties. Before our procurement and subsequent appointment, a council resolution…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Opposition leader McHenry Venaani has called on President Nangolo Mbumba to declare drought a state of emergency. Venaani wrote to Mbumba on Thursday saying the adverse effects of climate change have brought the country to an alarming state where the imminent threat of meteorological calamity overshadows human daily existence. “The relentless El Niño climatic phenomenon exacerbates this already precarious situation, causing severe rainfall shortages. This is indicative of not merely a seasonal irregularity but a dreadful spectre of our changing climate - a matter that deserves our undivided attention and swift action,” he said. NamWater's recent disclosure that…

Martin Endjala According to the Namibian Chamber of Mines (CoM) 2023 annual review report released on Wednesday, the mining industry recorded a turnover of N$51.572 billion in 2023. The 2023 turnover represents a 36 percent increase compared to the N$37.976 billion recorded in 2022. The report highlighted that several factors contributed to this growth, including a weaker exchange rate, higher prices for gold and uranium, and increased production of gold, uranium and diamonds. The report further highlighted that the sector achieved an impressive improvement in overall profitability. In 2023, it recorded a collective profit of N$2.731 billion, a stark contrast…