Martin Endjala
The Namibia Industrial Development Agency (Nida) is finalising its 2023/24 fiscal year report and addressing criticism over poor infrastructure, performance, and transparency.
In August, National Council members suggested dismantling Nida due to its shortcomings, including a N$100 million abandoned crocodile farm in Kongola, Zambezi region.
Acting CEO Richwell Lukonga assured that financial reports would be public by year-end and outlined the agency’s strategic plan for 2024-2028.
“These reports, which cover the financial performance of the agency, are expected to be made public towards the end of the year,” he confirmed.
Nida is also focusing on sustainable livestock management in response to challenges like drought.
Measures include renewable energy adoption, improved fodder management, and enhanced livestock systems.
Lukonga emphasised the agency’s commitment to mitigating the impacts of climate change through these initiatives.
Concerning the abandoned crocodile farm, where work was scheduled to start last week, Lukonga did not indicate the completion date nor the allocated funds.
The agency has faced operational issues, particularly at the Naute project in the ||Karas region, involving electricity outages and delayed salary payments.
According to Lukonga, the agency has managed these challenges by reducing power consumption in collaboration with NamPower and introducing solar energy systems to minimise disruptions.
Salary delays have been resolved, ensuring that seasonal workers are paid promptly.
To prevent livestock losses, Nida has implemented strategies such as aggressive cattle marketing, supplementary feeding, and fire prevention measures.
“This reduces grazing pressure and ensures sufficient resources for the remaining stock,” he said.
Lukonga said plans call for opening more land for fodder cultivation.
“Timely weaning of calves, which helps reduce the stress on mother cows, allowing them to better endure the challenging conditions, has also been implemented. Other preventive measures also include fire prevention. Farm roads have been graded to mitigate the risk of veld fires, which could further exacerbate the effects of the drought,” he said.
Last month, the agency faced criticism for its deteriorating infrastructure, subpar performance, and lack of transparency regarding its financial status, among other issues.
The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) party recently expressed disappointment over the abandonment of the N$100 million crocodile farm in the Kongola Constituency, Zambezi region.
