National News – Page 354 – Windhoek Observer

17 Nov

Revised National Resettlement Policy must benefit all communities

National News

Niël Terblanché The recently revised National Resettlement Policy in Namibia is geared towards achieving equity in land redistribution to alleviate poverty. The revised National Resettlement Policy was approved by the Cabinet in May of this year and will be in effect from 2023 to 2033. It replaces the 1991-2001 National Resettlement Policy and incorporates resolutions made during the second land conference held in 2018, which emphasized the issue of landlessness resulting from dispossession and the inability to maintain resettlement farms due to a lack of resources after acquisition. Concerns have, however, arisen regarding the criteria for qualification under the program,…

17 Nov

Former GIPF CEO takes the reigns at the Capricorn Group

National NewsFormer GIPF CEO takes the reigns at the Capricorn Group

Martin Endjala The former Chief Executive Officer of the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF), David Nuyoma, has been appointed as the new Capricorn Group Chief Executive Officer, effective Designate from 1 January 2024 and as substantive Group CEO with effect from 1 March 2024, subject to regulatory approval. The Capricorn Group Chairman Gerhard Fourie, while announcing the news this week, described Nuyoma as an experienced and accomplished executive leader with a successful track record as CEO of the GIPF until recently and before that as CEO of the Development Bank of Namibia, making him the ideal leader for the Group…

16 Nov

Local companies lack the capacity to produce police uniforms

National NewsLocal companies lack the capacity to produce police uniforms

Stefanus Nashama In responding to questions concerning the procurement of uniforms for the Namibian Police last week, it was revealed that there are no local factories that sell or produce materials with the quality of police uniform standards. According to Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, the National Spokesperson of the Namibian Police, it is for that reason that the force has to procure uniform materials from outside the country, “Be informed that all uniform materials are procured outside the country, as there are no local factories to sell or manufacture the said materials,” Shikwambi said. This is despite other uniform pieces…

16 Nov

Chinese national banned from entering Namibia returned twice in 2023

National NewsChinese national banned from entering Namibia returned twice in 2023

Hertta-Maria Amutenjna Chinese national, Jiaming Li, who has been deported from Namibia on two separate occasions, has attempted to enter the country illegally twice. In his latest attempt, he took the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security to court for refusing him entry into the country. However, he has now withdrawn the case. Documents filed at the Windhoek High Court reveal that Li’s legal troubles began with his first conviction in September 2022 for conducting business in Namibia without a proper residence permit. This led to his initial deportation in the same month, accompanied by a prohibition from…

16 Nov

CoW won’t be able to supply electricity effectively

National NewsCoW won’t be able to supply electricity effectively

Martin Endjala The Electricity Control Board (ECB) has warned that the City of Windhoek (CoW) which is the current distributor of electricity in the Khomas Region will not be able to continue to effectively and efficiently distribute electricity supply in the region in years to come. To prepare for such scenarios, ECB’s Chief Executive Officer, Robert Kahimise, says that due to already small profit margins that are always decreasing, there is a need to consolidate the distribution assets, in this case, into a Regional Electricity Distributor (RED) sort of a model. A RED is said to be on the cards,…

16 Nov

Government launches annual duty penalty waiver programme

National NewsGovernment launches annual duty penalty waiver programme

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Minister of Industrialisation and Trade, Lucia Iipumbu, announced the launch of the Annual Duty Penalty Waiver Programme by the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA). She said the programme is in line with the Business and Intellectual Property Authority Act, Act No. 8 of 2016, which aims to provide relief to Namibian businesses burdened by penalties accrued due to non-payment of annual duties from 2012 to 2022. “The relief comes at an opportune time if one considers the economic hardships that our entrepreneurs have and continue to endure due to the global economic downturn which was further…

16 Nov

New seed bank will prevent critical resource depletion

National NewsNew seed bank will prevent critical resource depletion

Martin Endjala The first community Seed Bank at Sharukwe village in the Kavango West Region is said to be a crucial repository for local seeds. The project is funded by the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF), Mobile Telecommunication (MTC), and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The sponsorship signifies a crucial moment in preserving biodiversity and ensuring food security, with an investment exceeding N$500,000. The primary objective of the Sharukwe Seed Bank is to safeguard natural resources by preventing the over-exploitation of various seed varieties. This proactive intervention is said to not only prevent resource depletion but also ensure the preservation…

15 Nov

Revitalizing Namibia’s Tourism and Hospitality Industries: A Path to Economic Recovery

National News, OpinionsRevitalizing Namibia’s Tourism and Hospitality Industries: A Path to Economic Recovery

Josef Kefas Sheehama The global tourism industry, contributing approximately 10% to the global GDP, holds immense significance. In Namibia, tourism and hospitality contribute N$7.7 billion, equivalent to 3.7% of nominal GDP, with an indirect contribution of N$24.8 billion or 12.0%. Despite its importance, the industry faced severe setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, necessitating strategic interventions for recovery. The Namibian Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism aims to rejuvenate the tourism sector by emphasizing domestic tourism and marketing Namibia as a safe holiday destination. Acknowledging the Namibian Tourism Board’s role, the Ministry’s active involvement is deemed critical in navigating the…

15 Nov

WHO warns that 90,000 Namibians are living with diabetes

National NewsWHO warns that 90

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Namibia faces a health challenge, with an estimated 90,000 people living with diabetes, as revealed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Officer in Charge, Mary Nana Ama Brantuo, during the commemoration of World Diabetes Day in Windhoek this week. “In Namibia, available statistics reveal that nearly seven percent of Namibian adults have diabetes, with an estimated 90,000 people living with the condition,” she stated, highlighting the urgent need for attention and collaborative efforts to address the growing concern. Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, Esther Utjiua Muinjangue, delivered remarks under the global theme ‘access to diabetes care’…

15 Nov

Icelandic government must reevaluate renewable energy funding for Samherji

National NewsIcelandic government must reevaluate renewable energy funding for Samherji

Stefanus Nashama McHenry Venaani, the leader of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), has called upon Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir to reconsider the proposed plan for the Icelandic government to provide Samherji Company with 100 million Icelandic krona in renewable energy funding. Samherji is a prominent fish processing company in Iceland, recognized as the largest fishing company in the country and one of the largest in Europe. However, it has faced allegations of corruption in Namibia’s fishing industry and the Fishrot corruption scandal. In his capacity as the Leader of the Official Opposition political party in the National Assembly, Venaani…