National News – Page 505 – Windhoek Observer

09 Sep

Okakarara looks at unlocking its potential

National NewsFourth Industrial Revolution, Okakarara Trade Fair, Vice-President Nangolo Mbumba

Martin Endjala Businesses have been challenged to intensify their efforts to industrialise the country by increasing production with the goal to improve the quality of life for all citizens. Vice-President Nangolo Mbumba made this call during the official opening of the 14th edition of the Okakarara Trade Fair today. The fair is held under the theme “Unlocking business growth opportunities for Okakarara”. The theme recognises Okakarara’s resolve to unlock its potential as a fast growing business centre, as one of the economic hubs of the Otjozondjupa region. The full and active participation in the national, regional and global economy, the…

09 Sep

Swartbooi slams MME for not being transparent

National NewsLandless People’s Movement, MME, Orange River and Botswana, Swartbooi slams MME for not being transparent

Martin Endjala Bernadus Swartbooi, the leader of the Landless People’s Movement has slammed the Ministry of Mines and Energy for not being transparent, about the drilling in the Aminius Constituency in the Omaheke region, by a Russian-owned mining exploration company, which has raised red flags across the communities over concerns of water pollution with a possible consequence of destruction of livelihoods. The LPM leader was speaking today during a media briefing on the country’s status quo in Windhoek, cautioning that the Kalahari basin borehole drilling will cause pollution and damage to the tourism sector, vegetation and water sources. The process…

09 Sep

Naankuse help in fight against scabies

National NewsNàankuse and Paliston Packaging., San community in Drimiopsis, Wutow Trading

Martin Endjala The San community in Drimiopsis, in the Omaheke Region yesterday received hygiene products donated by the ChariTree Foundation aimed at curbing scabies in the community. The donation was a collaborative effort by Wutow Trading, Nàankuse and Paliston Packaging. According to Nàankuse Foundation Nàankuse Lifeline Clinic Manager, Hardus Swart said that as a non-profit organisation they rely on foundations such as ChariTree. A community member who was one of the recipients applauded the charities, saying the donation was timely moment, as they had no hygiene products. Another recipient extended his call on more organizations to come on board to…

07 Sep

High inflation, interest rates erode consumer confidence

National NewsAgricultural Bank of Namibia, High inflation, interest rates erode consumer confidence

Tujoromajo Kasuto Uncoordinated policy frameworks and a lack of cooperation between the public and private sectors, according to the Agricultural Bank of Namibia, are obstacles in the fight against unemployment. The Bank observes that a number of initiatives aimed at reviving the labour market, such as the youth agro-based value chain initiatives, are halted by the lack of coordination between the government and private sector and other policy frameworks, making it difficult to combat the high unemployment rate. ‘’Pandemic related retrenchments and slow global trade have further worsen the number of unemployed individuals in the country. Employment is the cornerstone…

07 Sep

NIPDB to work with young entrepreneurs

National NewsDino Ballotti, MSME, Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), NIPDB to work with young entrepreneurs

Tujoromajo Kasuto Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) today launched theinaugural Know2Grow (K2G) NextGen Entrepreneurs, that will provide an annual market access andcapacity building platform for young entrepreneurs, designed to drive the development and acceleration of innovative youth-led businesses. The event is scheduled to take place in Tsumeb on 16 to 18 November 2022 and is open to all MSME ventures across the country, owned by young Namibians between the ages of 18 and 35. “We are very intentional about MSME Development and have various initiatives and programmes targeted at MSME support across all levels and in different sectors.…

07 Sep

Eveline Street market earmarked for renewal

National NewsEveline Street market earmarked for renewal, Onghendambala Market, VISET Namibia

Martin Endjala At its last council meeting on 31 August the Windhoek Municipality has resolved to approve the upgrading of the Onghendambala Market for informal traders on erf 3222 on Eveline Street in the Goreangab residential area. The council approved a request by the VISET Namibia, who received funding from the Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) through the American Embassy, to use the funds for the upgrading of the Onghendambala Market. The value of the upgrades is costed at N$643 266 and the upgrades, which include fencing of the entire market area to protect the site from encroachment and illegal…

Aminuis inhabitants appeal for a halt to<br>uranium exploration, mining activities

07 Sep

Aminuis inhabitants appeal for a halt to
uranium exploration, mining activities

National NewsAminuis inhabitants appeal for a halt to uranium exploration, Headspring Investment CC, mining activities

Staff Writer Is the mining of uranium due to begin in all earnest or is the process still in its exploratory phase? This is one of the pressing questions by the farming communities in the Aminuis Constituency, especially in the Aminuis communal area, as they probably belatedly are starting to raise their voices after observing lately suspect mining activities in their areas. They are in this regard joining the Stampriet Aquifer Uranium Mining Committee, that seems already to have irked Uranium One, a Russian parent company of a subsidiary exploring uranium in Omaheke, for expressing itself against the exploration/cum-mining activities…

06 Sep

Fishrot scandal ultimate test for Whistle-blower Act

National NewsFishrot scandal ultimate test for Whistle-blower Act, Johannes Stefánsson, Minister of Justice Yvonne Dausab

Obrien Simasiku The Fishrot scandal, regarded as the biggest corruption cases ever to have happened in an independent Namibia is touted as the most challenging scenario to test the effectiveness and implementation of the Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017, says the Minister of Justice Yvonne Dausab. The high level corruption involves, whistleblower Johannes Stefánsson, the former director of operations in Namibia for the Icelandic fishing company Samherji, who spilled the beans involving hundreds of millions of dollars in which businessmen and politicians benefitted in bribers, while facilitating the access to fishing quotas for Samherji in Namibian waters. At the centre…

06 Sep

Tsumeb resident sues Shopright for injuries

National NewsTsumeb resident sues Shopright for injuries, Veronika Neidel is suing Shoprite Namibia N$500 000

Tujoromajo Kasuto A Tsumeb resident, Veronika Neidel is suing Shoprite Namibia N$500 000 for alleged injuries sustained while shopping at a Shopright outlet at the Le Platz Shopping Centre, in Hage Geingob Street at the copper town late last year. According to court documents, on 3 September 2021, and at the defendant’s shop situated at Le Platz Shopping Centre, 1304 Hage Geingob Street, Tsumeb, Neidel allegedly slipped and fell as a result of an uneven and dangerous tile on the floor of the shop. As a result, the she sustained soft tissue injuries and a concealed pelvic fracture, according to…

06 Sep

GIPF takes a stand against unethical conduct

National NewsGIPF, GIPF CEO David Nuyoma, Government Institutes Pension Fund (GIPF), Yvonne Dausab

Martin Endjala The Government Institutes Pension Fund (GIPF) is promising to come down on individuals and organizations that are conducting themselves unethically, as it launched today its Ethics Helpdesk and website for whistleblowers, to create and promote a culture of speaking out without fear of retribution or intimidation against corruption. According to GIPF the ethics management strategy standard operations is linked to the implementation of whistleblowers mechanism that will ensure that they are protected and kept anonymous when they lift the lid on possible unethical conduct. The GIPF believes that improper and irregular behaviour will be nipped in the bud,…