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CBPN boots contractor for incompetence

CBPN boots contractor for incompetence

Obrein Simasiku The Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CBPN) has booted a contractor who was appointed to construct a N$35 million state-of-the-art Vocational Training Centre in Nkurenkuru. The contract was terminated for incompetency and falling short of the agreed time frame, after having only completed around seven percent of the supposed project, as well as failure to formulate and implement a catch-up plan. The tender was conducted by CBPN on behalf of the Namibia Vocational Training Authority (NTA) for the construction of the centre with an amount of N$35 561 067, of which at the time of the contract termination,…
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School pleads for assistance to ‘stateless’ destitute children

School pleads for assistance to ‘stateless’ destitute children

Obrein Simasiku Ondiamande Combined School, at Eheke in the Oshana Region, is pleading with government, including good Samaritans to come to the aid of 14 destitute children of whom five are school-going and who find themselves in abject poverty. The children are under the care of their elderly grandmother, who is also looking after her own two mentally ill elder children. This was brought to Observer's attention by Esther Nakale, a Life Skills teacher at Ondiamande, who said the livelihood of the family is painful, as she pleaded with to the government to at least take charge of the five…
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PM calls for enhanced fight against ocean pollution

PM calls for enhanced fight against ocean pollution

Obrein Simasiku Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has called for a unified fight against polluting of oceans and maritime piracy, as she emphasised the integral part oceans play in the Namibian economy. Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said this at the 2nd United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon. "We cannot engage on the issue of marine and aquatic resources without looking into the negative impact of pollution. Pollution in oceans should be viewed in a holistic manner. If land pollution control measures are poorly implemented, ocean pollution is inevitable. In this regard, investments should be increased to prevent and manage pollution both on land and…
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Laws must be streamlined to fight fake qualifications

Laws must be streamlined to fight fake qualifications

Martin Endjala The Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation officials have revealed that due to the gap between legislative bodies of higher education that regulate institutions, it is proving to be a challenge to address forgery and falsification of qualifications. The Namibia Training Authority (NTA), Namibia Council of Higher Education (NCHE) and the Namibia Qualifications (NQA) Authority are the regulating bodies of higher education institutions country. The Executive Director of MHETI Alfred Van Kent said that one of the Ministry’s challenges is the executing laws that are put in place that regulate higher education institutions. The MHETI ED said…
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Rotational principle election saga under the scope

Rotational principle election saga under the scope

Martin Endjala The fifth Pan-African Parliament session following last year’s chaotic and aborted event are meeting this week in South Africa to among other elect a President, which was fiercely fought last year. The South and West caucuses fought for their candidates and the election was postponed and the African parliamentarians will again be meeting with an agenda of electing a new president and a vice-President during which all five caucuses will root for their candidates. With the embarrassing pandemonium election still fresh in some minds, the parliamentarians will try and put all of it behind and hope to speak…
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BoN strengthens African ties

BoN strengthens African ties

Tujoromajo Kasuto Last week, Bank of Namibia Governor Johannes !Gawaxab met with his counterparts on the continent as part of his efforts to strengthen collaboration and seek mutually beneficial relationships among African central banks. According to the Central Bank’s Director of Strategic Communications and International Relations, Kazembire Zemburuka, separate meetings were held to strengthen ties between the Governors of the Bank of Ghana, Ernest Addison, and the Bank of Botswana, Moses Dinekere Pelaelo. He says that the Bank also intends to call on the Central Bank of Kenya, given the advances made in the fintech space. Zemburuka noted that the…
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Shangula calls for more progressive

Shangula calls for more progressive

Staff Writer The Minister of Health and Social Services, has called for the continued promotion of women’s political freedom and the abolition of all forms of violence against women and girls. Kalumbi Shangula said this yesterday at the opening of Second Joint High Level Continental Seminar on the right to health and social protection in Africa in Windhoek. The health minister said African counties need to collaborate and push forward to put an end to all forms of harmful practices that undermine the commendable progress we have made on many fronts. “We must hold hands and forge ahead in order…
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Old Mutual facilitates housing in Mariental

Old Mutual facilitates housing in Mariental

Tujoromajo Kasuto Old Mutual Investment Group has committed funding to the development of 224 serviced erven and the development of affordable houses in Mariental, the administrative capital of Hardap Region. The Tunga Real Estate Fund, an unlisted property and housing fund managed by the Old Mutual, completed the first phase of land servicing for 56 residential plots and handed over the infrastructure and services to the Mariental Municipality. According to a press statement issued today by Ashante Manetti, the group’s Acting Marketing and Communications Executive, sales have begun and the homes have been completed. ‘’A further sub division is underway…
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ECN aims to boost voter turnout …turnout decreased by 36% since 1989

ECN aims to boost voter turnout …turnout decreased by 36% since 1989

Tujoromajo Kasuto The Electoral Commission of Namibia has set itself a strategic target of increasing voter participation through working with various stakeholders and conduct research in this regard. Voter turnout has decreased by 36% since 1989. The objective is detailed in the 2022/2023 - 2026/2027 Strategic Plan. Since the first democratic elections in 1989, the Presidential and National Assembly Elections, voter turnout ranged between 97.3 percent in 1989 to as low as 60.8 percent in 2019. The Commission notes that voter turnout in subsequent elections following 1989 has been relatively low, with higher voter turnout only occurring in 2004 in…
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Traffic, wildlife, livestock offences dominate Otjozondjupa crime

Traffic, wildlife, livestock offences dominate Otjozondjupa crime

Obrein Simasiku A total of 7341 traffic fines with a value of N$5 831 525 were issued by lawless drivers and motorists by law enforcement agencies in the Otjozondupa Region during the financial year 2021/22, resulting in the arrest of 460 persons for various traffic offences. Among these 150 persons were arrested for drunken driving. Also 52 road accidents were recorded. "Our region is hard hit in terms of road carnage on the B1 road between Okahandja-Otjiwarongo-Otavi, which are currently the highest accident prone areas in the country. Namibia has the best roads infrastructure but ‘road user’s attitude’ and ‘negligent…
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