Observer

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Nangombe places hope on state-of-the-art medical machinery

Nangombe places hope on state-of-the-art medical machinery

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Ministry of Health and Social Services spends more than N$50 million annually on dialysis services that are provided by private health facilities. Ben Nangombe, the Executive Director of the health ministry, has placed his hope in state-of-the-art machinery set to cost N$6 million to provide dialysis facilities for Namibians. The ministry currently only offers dialysis services at three public hospitals. The funding will increase the renal dialysis treatment capacity at the Oshakati, Katutura, Rundu, Keetmanshoop, Katima Mulilo, Walvis Bay and Otjiwarongo state hospitals. Nangombe said the representatives of the health ministry appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee…
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The Arrest and the N$6m exit package

The Arrest and the N$6m exit package

Niël Terblanché A female member of the Namibian Petroleum Corporation’s Board of Directors has been arrested on charges relating to the possession of illicit drugs shortly after a meeting of the board at the offices of the state-owned energy corporation in Windhoek on Monday. The arrest of the senior board member was confirmed by the commander of the Namibian Police’s Public Relations Division, Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi. According to the incident report, arresting officers reacted to intelligence received from an informant when they swooped in on the female board member. During a search of the lady’s official vehicle, the officers…
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SPYL Secretary hits back at Amupanda

SPYL Secretary hits back at Amupanda

STEFANUS NASHAMA SWAPO Party Youth League Secretary, Ephraim Nekongo has hit back at Affirmative Repositioning activist Job Amupanda, who last week said that the ruling party is old, fatigued, and unable to understand modern realities and aspirations. Nekongo, in an interview yesterday said Amupanda is “mixing things” just because he wants to be the country’s next president. Nekongo added that Amupanda’s dream is far-fetched, as Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is the next president. “First of all Amupanda is a product of SWAPO, lives in a country liberated by SWAPO, and was educated because SWAPO fought for the Independence of Namibia. He should…
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AG wants N$ 5 million to attain independence

AG wants N$ 5 million to attain independence

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Office of the Auditor General will need N$ 4 980 000 to acquire and maintain the institution’s financial and operational autonomy. This is according to the Minister in the Presidency, Christina //Hoebes, who during her motivation for the budget allocation said the office’s independence program is one of three initiatives the office will pursue this year. Public Expenditure Oversight, Independence and Legal Framework and Policy Coordination and Support Services are the three main initiatives that the Office will pursue. However, according to //Hoebes, obtaining and maintaining financial and administrative autonomy as well as appropriate human, material, and…
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LPM youth leader calls for 80 percent youth employment in the mining sector

LPM youth leader calls for 80 percent youth employment in the mining sector

Martin Endjala The Landless People’s Movement Youth Leader Duminga Ndala is calling for 80 percent employment in the mining sector to be filled up by young people, saying this will result in direct inclusivity for young people residing within the areas where minerals are being mined. Ndala says this translates to social responsibility by mining companies while ensuring that youth unemployment is tackled especially in regions where mining activities are being conducted. The LPM youth Leader said this at a media briefing yesterday in Windhoek, where she explained that the mining sector is one of the sectors which exploits young…
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Exponential economic growth is urgently needed

Exponential economic growth is urgently needed

Niël Terblanché Drastic steps will have to be taken to exponentially boost the natural growth of Namibia’s economy because the current trend will not be sufficient to address the country’s ambitions to ultimately improve the standard of living of its citizens. The Director General of the National Planning Commission, Obeth Kandjoze, said that recurring droughts, a global collapse of commodity prices, dwindling foreign direct investments as well as the Covid-19 pandemic has had lasting as well as devastating consequences on Namibia’s economy. “These factors impacted our small open economy severely and consequently put further restraints on our public and private…
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Hengari prioritizing Nauyoma and Amushelelo’s release

Hengari prioritizing Nauyoma and Amushelelo’s release

STEFANUS NASHAMA Youth Activist and Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) Member of Parliament Inna Hengari yesterday said the release of Michael Amushelelo and Dimbulukweni Nauyoma remains her top priority. She also said that her arrest on Namibia’s independence day motivates her further to fight for the youth. Hengari was released on a bail of N$5000 last week Friday while Nauyoma and Amushelelo were denied bail and remanded in custody. The two will lodge another bail application on Wednesday. They were arrested after an attempt to protest against youth unemployment. “We will continue to relentlessly champion the release of Nauyoma and Amushelelo.…
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Youth unemployment must be addressed urgently

Youth unemployment must be addressed urgently

Niël Terblanché A special meeting of the central committee of the SWAPO Party Youth League (SPYL) has been requested to address the rampant unemployment of especially the youth in Namibia. In a letter addressed to the Secretary of the organization, Efraim Nekongo, a member of the central committee, Willem Amutenya, requested the special meeting. “The issue of youth unemployment, which has been at our core discussion as a youth league has elevated to a different level in the last weeks. We have seen some fellow youth protesting on Independence Day,” Amutenya wrote in his letter. He was of the opinion…
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ECN facing a budgetary shortfall of N$60 million

ECN facing a budgetary shortfall of N$60 million

Niël Terblanché The Electoral Commission of Namibia will need almost N$500 million in the coming financial year to conduct voter education and voter registration for the next cycle of National and Presidential Elections slated for November 2024. This is according to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Peter Katjivi, who motivated a budget allocation of N$421 930 000 for the successful implementation of ECN programmes for the next year. He pointed out that the budget ceiling will leave the ECN with a shortfall of N$60 million. Despite this shortfall, he stated that the ECN will have to discharge its duties…
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Financing of the ACC is vital for Namibia

Financing of the ACC is vital for Namibia

Niël Terblanché The impact of corruption is severe and if it is allowed to persist the phenomenon has a detrimental impact on economic growth, healthcare, and social and economic infrastructure development, and may even negatively affect Foreign Direct Investment. While presenting arguments for the budgetary allocation of N$81 688 000 for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Peter Katjavivi said that foreign Investors may not invest in Namibia if authorities in the country are not financially empowered to curb corruption and related crimes. In addition, Namibia has been undergoing the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group…
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