National News – Page 127

29 Aug

Compliance with road rules leads to safer roads in Oshana over the long weekend

info_e12wt4csNational NewsCommissioner Naftal Lungameni Sakaria

Stefanus Nashama The Oshana police have recorded only four vehicle accidents, one fatality, and six cases of drinking and driving during the past long weekend. The Oshana regional police commander, Commissioner Naftal Lungameni Sakaria, shared this information with the Windhoek Observer on Thursday. “We have recorded a total number of four accidents, one fatality and six cases of drinking and driving in the region during the past long weekend,” he explained. According to Sakaria, the low-motor vehicle accident cases indicate that motorists are complying with the road rules and police instructions. “These numbers are low considering the number of people…

29 Aug

Namcor and BW Kudu expand scholarship programme for underprivileged students

info_e12wt4csFeatured, National NewsKlaus Endresen

Niël Terblanché The National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (NAMCOR), in collaboration with BW Kudu, has announced the expansion of its scholarship programme aimed at supporting underprivileged students. According to a joint statement issued by both institutions on Thursday, this initiative, in partnership with the Physically Active Youth (PAY), a non-profit organisation dedicated to the upliftment of disadvantaged children especially from the Katutura suburb of Windhoek, is a continuation of a successful collaboration that commenced in 2023. “NAMCOR and BW Kudu are thrilled to continue with this support. We believe that education is key to a brighter future, and we are…

29 Aug

Statistic agency sets record straight about N$250 million budget

info_e12wt4csNational NewsNamibian Statistics Agency (NSA), National Consumer Price Index

Stefanus Nashama The Namibian Statistics Agency (NSA) clarified that N$250 million is required to conduct at least one large survey every year, in addition to the normal operations and statistics currently produced by the agency. The normal operations include the National Accounts, the National Consumer Price Index, sectoral reports, and trade statistics. The NSA statistician-general, Alex Shimuafeni, clarified a media report that said the NSA is having difficulty releasing national statistics promptly due to insufficient funding. “NSA has been producing timely statistics since its inception in 2012. The figure of N$ 250 million is rather an ideal amount required to…

28 Aug

Trustco Mining discovers a 391-carat diamond in Sierra Leone

info_e12wt4csNational News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Trustco Group Holdings Ltd. has announced the discovery of a 391.45-carat diamond through its investment in Meya Mining, where it holds a 19.5% stake in the Kono District of Sierra Leone. The diamond was discovered on Tuesday, 20 August 2024, in the Kono District, an area known for its rich diamond deposits. Meya Mining holds a 25-year exclusive diamond mining license in this region, which includes the Kamara Gbense and Tankoro chiefdoms. This find is the second large diamond recovered from the Meya River kimberlite domain, the first of 16 kimberlite domains that Meya Mining is targeting within…

28 Aug

Suspected case of Mpox detected at Rundu District Hospital

info_e12wt4csNational News

Martin Endjala The Rundu District Hospital has reported a suspected case of Mpox in a two-year-old girl. Ida Mendai, the regional health director of Kavango East, confirmed this development. “Yes, we have a suspected case of Mpox, a two-year-old girl. But so far everything is under control while we wait for results from South Africa. It is just a suspected case. It's not confirmed yet,” she said. According to Mendai, the little girl is currently confined to isolation facilities and under observation while the hospital awaits test results. Mendai added that the patient came from Angola. The Ministry of Health…

28 Aug

Governor calls for vigilance and compliance with health advisories on Mpox

info_e12wt4csNational News

Stefanus Nashama The Ohangwena regional governor, Sebastian Ndeitunga urged the residents of the region to follow guidelines by the Ministry of Health and Social Services concerning the monkeypox (Mpox) virus. Ndeitunga said this in an interview with the Windhoek Observer Newspaper on Wednesday. "People should follow what the ministry says about the virus to ensure that no fear has been created among members of the public in the region," he said. According to Ndeitunga, no cases of infection with the virus have been reported in the region. "Until now, no case of that virus has been reported in our region.…

28 Aug

Namibia hosts quality management conference to elevate healthcare provision standards

info_e12wt4csNational NewsDr Kalumbi Shangula, healthcare Quality Management Conference

Niël Terblanché In a significant stride towards enhancing healthcare delivery, the Ministry of Health and Social Services convened the first-ever healthcare Quality Management Conference in Windhoek on Wednesday. The conference, which is presented under the "Beyond the Blueprint: Transforming Policy into Quality Practice" is a substantial step in the country’s effort to align healthcare services with internationally recognised standards. The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Kalumbi Shangula, set the tone for the conference by stressing the ministry's unwavering commitment to continuous improvement in healthcare. "Our vision is clear – to be the leading provider of healthcare and social…

28 Aug

Media Ombudsman criticises political parties for not setting clear election agendas

info_e12wt4csNational News

Martin Endjala The absence of clear agenda-setting by political parties has led to a potential crisis and reactive media coverage. The Media Ombudsman, John Nakuta, said political parties have failed to set these agendas for the 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections. Nakuta said this during the first media monitoring report on the November elections launched on Wednesday. "There is clearly a lack of agenda-setting by political parties. What do we mean? It is very difficult to pinpoint what agenda any given political party institution has. It is definitely a case of the media reporting almost crisis-dominant, reactive reporting if…

28 Aug

Windhoek falls short of water reduction goal

info_e12wt4csNational NewsLydia Amutenya, reduce water consumption

Martin Endjala On Tuesday, the City of Windhoek (CoW) announced that its efforts to have residents reduce water consumption are not yielding the desired results. According to the city spokesperson, Lydia Amutenya, from 19 to 26 August, residents managed to cut water usage by only 6%, far below the critical 15% reduction goal. “While this progress is commendable, it remains below our overall target of a 15% reduction,” said Amutenya. The council in July declared Category D severe water scarcity (drought). According to Amutenya, new water-saving measures will go into effect on 1 September. “Please note that this week we…

28 Aug

Kenya looks to Namibian expertise to strengthen fisheries surveillance

info_e12wt4csNational NewsKenya Fisheries Service (KeFS), Namibia’s Fisheries Observer Agency (FOA

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Kenya Fisheries Service (KeFS) is turning to Namibia’s Fisheries Observer Agency (FOA) as a model for enhancing its fisheries observer program and monitoring efforts. A team of officials from KeFS visited Walvis Bay last week as part of an exchange program facilitated by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) under the FishNET II Project, funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). In a joint statement, the organisation explained that the exchange visit was aimed at sharing experiences and exploring new viewpoints and approaches for the fisheries observer program and Monitoring, Control and Surveillance…