National News – Page 362 – Windhoek Observer

02 Nov

Swakopmund gears up for K2G NextGen showcase

National News

Niël Terblanché Swakopmund is poised to become a hub of entrepreneurial innovation as Micro, Small, and Medium (MSM) enterprises from across the country prepare to converge for the highly anticipated second edition of the K2G NextGen Entrepreneurs Showcase. The K2G NextGen Entrepreneurs project is dedicated to empowering youth and women-owned MSM enterprises, providing them with tailored opportunities to expand market access and support capacity building, thus helping drive economic activity in their respective regions. Slated for later this week, the event in Swakopmund will be hosted by the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) and follows the success of…

01 Nov

Swapo Party School aims to secure accreditation by 2024

National NewsSwapo Party School aims to secure accreditation by 2024

Stefanus Nashama After eight years of existence, the Swapo Party School continues to operate without accreditation from the Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA). According to Charles Mubita, the Rector of the Swapo Party School, the accreditation process with the NQA and a twinning agreement with the University of Namibia was unfortunately interrupted due to the impacts of COVID-19. However, Mubita announced that the process to finalize accreditation with the NQA has now resumed, and the school aims to successfully complete it before the end of February 2024. During the weekend, the school celebrated its second intake graduation ceremony, where 69 students…

01 Nov

Nampol challenged by insufficient manpower

National NewsNampol challenged by insufficient manpower

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Inspector General of the Namibian Police Force, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo, has shed light on a pressing issue facing the country’s law enforcement agency, a severe shortage of manpower. This revelation came during a preparatory meeting for the festive season crime prevention and road safety operations held at the police national headquarters in Windhoek yesterday. Shikongo disclosed that the current functional structure of the Namibian police force allows for a member count of approximately 28,000. However, he said the reality on the ground presents a stark contrast to this desired number. “We need to work on the…

01 Nov

NamLITS and stock brand awareness campaign extended due to overwhelming response

National NewsNamLITS and stock brand awareness campaign extended due to overwhelming response

Niël Terblanché The awareness campaign for stock brands and the Namibia Livestock Identification and Traceability System (NamLITS) has exceeded expectations in updating livestock keeper information and stock brands on the relevant database. Such an overwhelming response from farmers has led to the extension of the campaign by two months. According to Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, the Executive Director of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform (MAWLR), the ministry, in collaboration with the Meat Board of Namibia, initiated the awareness campaign for stock brands and NamLITS on 17 July 2023, with an initial end date of 31 October 2023. “Earlier this…

01 Nov

RU affirms that workers have the right to change labour unions

National NewsRU affirms that workers have the right to change labour unions

Stefanus Nashama The newly established Revolutionary Union (RU) has clarified that workers who recently left other unions to join their ranks exercised their constitutional right to choose a labour union of their preference and did not commit any wrongdoing. RU’s Proletariat Central Secretary, Julius Natangwe, addressed the issue in response to the announcement by Carbon Twelve Mining workers, who expressed their intention to withdraw their membership applications with RU, indicating that they no longer required union representation for labour-related matters. Natangwe explained that the workers in question had not yet become official members of the union; they were in the…

01 Nov

Residents and stakeholders requested to assist in combating crime

National News

Niël Terblanché After a series of consultations and discussions involving various stakeholders, Swakopmund’s town council recently hosted a feedback session to address growing safety concerns and unveil initiatives aimed at tackling crime within the community. The gathering served as a platform for residents, government officials, non-governmental organizations, associations, neighbourhood watches, and law enforcement agencies to engage in dialogue regarding the pressing issue of crime prevention. “We want to bring all the stakeholders - central government, ministries, non-governmental organizations, associations, neighbourhood watches and the Namibian Police, together to identify the challenges we are facing in town,” stated Archie Benjamin, the Chief…

01 Nov

No final decision about mobile food kiosks in Swakopmund yet

National NewsNo final decision about mobile food kiosks in Swakopmund yet

Niël Terblanché The Swakopmund Municipality has moved to address recent media reports that have generated confusion regarding the municipality’s stance on mobile food kiosks operating within the town. According to Linda Mupupa, the municipality’s Public Relations Officer, it is essential to clarify that a final decision has not been reached on this matter, and the council is actively engaged in a comprehensive and all-encompassing public scoping process. “The primary objective of this public scoping process is to gather the perspectives and opinions of various stakeholders, with particular emphasis on mobile food kiosk business owners and interested members of the community.…

31 Oct

MoHSS to recruit thousands of people in the next five years

National NewsMoHSS to recruit thousands of people in the next five years

Erasmus Shalihaxwe As part of expanding Universal Health Care, the Ministry of Health and Social Services plans to recruit a total number of 6 186 new staff members over a period of five years. The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, announced this in the National Assembly last week. Shangula was responding to questions posed to him by Popular Democratic Movement leader McHenry Venaani, who wanted to know the current status quo with regard to Namibia’s Universal Health Coverage policy framework. The minister said that as a Member State of the World Health Organisation, and having subscribed…

31 Oct

DBN records a net loss of N$270 million

National News

Martin Endjala Development Bank of Namibia has recorded a net loss of N$270 million during the 2022/23 financial year compared to last year’s net loss of N$184.5 million. The loss is attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, high inflation rates and poor economic performance amongst others.This is according to DBN’s Chief Executive Officer John Steytler, at the launch of the bank’s 2022/23 integrated annual report yesterday in Windhoek. “In today’s rapidly changing world, businesses have faced a multitude of challenges, from climate change to social inequality, from technological disruption to regulatory shifts, the landscape is more uneven than ever before,” he…

31 Oct

Amupanda sows fears of colonialism

National News

Niël Terblanché Job Amupanda stepped back into his activist shoes and started sowing fear about a new agreement between Namibia and the European Union. In a video clip released on his social media platforms, he criticised the Namibian Government for allegedly selling the country to the Europeans down the road. In his video, Amupanda referred to the recent visit of President Hage Geingob and his delegation to Brussels where Namibia affirmed its commitment to fostering a transparent partnership with the European Union (EU) in the transition to cleaner energy sources, with a significant emphasis on green hydrogen and critical raw…