Observer – Page 489 – Windhoek Observer

26 Jul

New police station costs N$71 million

ObserverNational NewsLieutenant General Joseph Shikongo, New police station costs N$71 million

Stefanus Nashama The Namibian Police have spent over N$71 million on the construction of a new police station in Onkumbula in the Oshikoto Region. Speaking at the official opening of the Onkumbula police station on Monday, the Inspector-General of the Namibian Police Force, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo, said the construction work of the station was finalized at the cost of over N$71 million. Shikongo yesterday told the Windhoek Observer that the funds were provided by the central government through the budget allocated to the Namibian Police. The police chief said many projects in the Oshikoto Region to build new police…

26 Jul

Namibia needs a fit-for-purpose public service

ObserverNational NewsBank of Namibia’s Deputy Governor, Ebson Uanguta, Namibia needs a fit-for-purpose public service

Martin Endjala For Namibia to capitalize on economic opportunities, it will need a fit-for-purpose public service or else economic development can be severely hampered by the absence of an able and capable public service. Ebson Uanguta, the Bank of Namibia’s Deputy Governor during the celebration of the 2023 Africa Public Service Day in Katima Mulilo said: “My plea to all of us here today is to do everything necessary to ensure that poor quality public services are not the reason why we look back 30 years from today and regret that Namibia did not sufficiently capitalise on these once-in-a-lifetime economic…

26 Jul

Helicopter crash: Nauhaus remanded in custody

ObserverNational NewsAntje Nauhaus, Helicopter crash: Nauhaus remanded in custody

Niël Terblanché More charges were levelled against Antje Nauhaus, the 34-year-old woman that was arrested on Sunday in Swakopmund in connection with the deadly helicopter crash which cost the lives of two men. Besides facing charges of forgery, fraud, utterance and various charges related to the violation of the Namibian Civil Aviation Act, Nauhaus was also charged with culpable homicide. Nauhaus, who up until her arrest was an employee of Namibia Base Aviation, made her first appearance before Swakopmund Magistrate Nelao Brown and was formally informed about the charges against her. She stands accused of unlawfully and intentionally providing a…

26 Jul

PDM demands the sacking of Mulunga

ObserverMainNico Smit, PDM demands the sacking of Mulunga

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Nico Smit, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) member of Parliament has urged the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprise to take action against the entire National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor) Board and for the Board to dismiss the Managing Director, Immanuel Mulunga for serious transgressions of the terms of his employment contract.This comes after the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) cleared Mulunga of corruption allegations when he authorised the transfer of money to Sungara Energies Ltd. Smit stated that Mulunga’s authorization of the transfer of US$6.7 million to Sungara Energies Ltd. was not authorised by the Board, which is one…

25 Jul

Mulunga exonerated by ACC

ObserverMainMulunga exonerated by ACC, Paulus Noa, s NAMCOR, Sequa Petroleum Ltd and Petrolog Energies Ltd, the Director General of the ACC

Niël Terblanché The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Namibia after an intense investigation has given Immanuel Mulunga, the suspended Managing Director of the Namibian Petroleum Corporation (Namcor) the all-clear after the watchdog could find no evidence of criminal intent when he authorised the transfer of money to Sungara Energies Ltd. According to a report released by Paulus Noa, the Director General of the ACC, Mulanga authorised the payment to the conglomerate in the interest of Namcor and the country despite the fact that he attempted to repeatedly bring the matter to the attention of the corporation’s board of directors. “The board…

25 Jul

A Mother’s labour horrors at Katutura Hospital

ObserverNational NewsA Mother’s labour horrors at Katutura Hospital, Anna Timoteus

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Anna Timoteus, 24, asserts that the staff at the maternity ward at Katutura Hospital mistreated and victimised her while she was in labour and after she lost her three-day-old baby. Timoteus who went into labour on 7 June, gave birth on 9 June 2023. However, her son, who was born with hypoxic-ischaemicencephalopathy (HIE) and weighed 3.6 kilograms, passed away three days later. When a baby is born with HIE, their brain does not receive enough oxygen or blood flow. “My water broke around 20hOO on 7 June and called for an ambulance immediately. When I got to the…

25 Jul

Woman arrested in connection with deadly helicopter crash

ObserverNational Newsa Robinson R44 helicopter, f Namibia’s Civil Aviation Act, r Kauna Shikwambi, Woman arrested in connection with deadly helicopter crash

Niël Terblanché Forged documents and various other violations of Namibia’s Civil Aviation Act could have led to the tragic deaths of two men during a helicopter crash on the outskirts of Swakopmund a little more than a week ago. On Sunday, the Namibian Police has taken a 34-year-old woman, who is employed by Namibia Base Aviation, into custody and by late yesterday afternoon were still busy formulating charges relevant to her alleged criminal deeds. The arrest was confirmed by Inspector Ileni Shapumba, the head of the Community Affairs Division of the Namibian Police in the Erongo Region. The tragic crash…

25 Jul

Ministry endorses Oil and Gas Conference

ObserverNational NewsChairperson of EAN, Jason Kasuto, Ministry endorses Oil and Gas Conference, MME, Tom Alweendo

Niël Terblanché Namibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) has officially endorsed the premier presentation of the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference slated for mid-August 2023. The much-awaited event is scheduled to take place on 16 and 17 August in Windhoek. The Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo expressed his support for the conference in a letter written to the organisers of the event. “The Namibia Oil and Gas Conference 2023 holds great promise for fostering dialogue and collaboration among key stakeholders in Namibia and the international oil and gas value chain,” Alweendo said. The minister also promised that…

25 Jul

Namfisa will not prevent voluntary dissolution of medical aid funds

ObserverFeatured, Observer MoneyJoanette Eises said that Namfisa, Namfisa will not prevent voluntary dissolution of medical aid funds, y BankMed Namibia

Martin Endjala The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) has reiterated that in terms of its prudential supervision of medical aid funds, it does not necessarily prevent the liquidation or voluntary dissolution of such funds. Namfisa stated that its function is merely to reduce the likelihood of liquidation or dissolution as other unforeseen factors may also adversely impact the business of a medical aid fund. This comes after it was brought to the attention of Namfisa about speculation and circulation of information, regarding the financial status and future sustainability of one of the medical aid funds, namely BankMed Namibia, which…

25 Jul

A review of the Labour law is long overdue

ObserverNational NewsA review of the Labour law is long overdue, Paul Situmba

Martin Endjala The Mine Workers Union of Namibia Assistant Secretary, Paul Situmba says as much as he wants to be excited about the review of the Labour Law, he lamented the length of time that the process is taking. Situmba said while the review is underway, workers continue to suffer in their workplaces while the review keeps going on and never concludes. “It is long overdue. They have dragged on with the review for years now. When are they going to conclude so that we can finally see the law addressing some of these shortcomings? I have even lost the…