Observer – Page 554 – Windhoek Observer

30 Jun

Paragon wins N$25m airport tender

ObserverNational NewsHosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA), Menzies, Namibia Airports Company, Namibia Airports Company (NAC)

Obrein Simasiku Menzies Aviation’s refusal to accept its loss of the grounds handling service tender at the Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA) has been dealt another blow, when the Windhoek High Court ruled in favour of Namibia Airports Company (NAC). NAC had earlier approached the High Court, after Menzies refused to hand over the keys and other properties of the Airports Company, as its contract comes to an end tomorrow, 30 June. NAC was on a counter application, after it was dragged by Menzies to court for having awarded a tender to another company, Paragon Investment Holding and its Joint…

30 Jun

Minister sets record straight on land ownership

ObserverNational NewsAct No 6 of 1996, Agricultural Commercial Land Reform Act, Carl Schlettwein, Green Schemes, Land Bill, Minister sets record straight on land ownership

Martin Endjala No Namibian or foreigner can own land under freehold in communal land, The Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform categorically clarified in the National Assembly yesterday. A visibly disturbed, Carl Schlettwein said that misinformation has been circulating in the public domain about ownership of communal land by foreign nationals, including being fuelled by members of parliament. He explained that towns and cities within communal land are demarcated and surveyed and after proclamation are no longer part of the communal set-up and property can be owned there. However, Green Schemes that are also demarcated and proclaimed for agricultural…

30 Jun

LPM demands for public apology for arrest of Mayor

ObserverNational NewsHenny Seibeb, Kauna Shikwambi, LPM demands for public apology for arrest of Mayor

Staff Writer The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) is demanding a public apology from the Namibian Police for the arrest of Windhoek Mayor Sade Gawanas, at Okahandja Park informal settlement in Windhoek on Monday. Member of Parliament and Deputy Leader and Strategist of LPM, Henny Seibeb claimed the statement issued by Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi on behalf of the Police was false. “We demand a public apology because the matter happened in a public space. Kauna Shikwambi is a pathological liar. The statement she issued on Monday was not true. She was not at the Police station, someone told her lies…

30 Jun

Namibia exports ‘Greenest Charcoal’ to US

ObserverNational NewsAfrica Burns, Namibia exports ‘Greenest Charcoal’ to US, US Embassy Public Affairs Officer and spokesperson, Walter Parrs

Tujoromajo Kasuto Africa Burns, a Namibian charcoal producer, has been acclaimed for its innovative approach of converting the acacia tree into green charcoal. According to the US Embassy, its supply chain consists of hundreds of local small-scale suppliers who are transforming the acacia into charcoal which, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing devastating droughts, has become an economic lifeline to over 10,000 people in Namibia’s charcoal sector. This comes after communities across Namibia grapple with the problem of acacia bushes that encroach on their land. US Embassy Public Affairs Officer and spokesperson, Walter Parrs says the invasive acacia reduces…

30 Jun

500 Oshikoto school pupils impregnated

ObserverNational NewsA total of 500 minor school girls fell pregnant in the Oshikoto Region in the 2021 academic year, Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), Penda ya Ndakolo, recording a one percent increase., United States of America International Development Agency

Obrein Simasiku A total of 500 minor school girls fell pregnant in the Oshikoto Region in the 2021 academic year, recording a one percent increase. “ Teenage pregnancy rate has also increased to 15% from 14% last year. Therefore, there is reason for concern. We need to do things differently as leaders, parents, teachers and the general community and to work hand in hand to protect our young generation,” said Oshikoto governor Penda Ya Ndakolo, in his State of the Region Address delivered today. He thus said that sexual education be taken very serious, as a way to protect young…

29 Jun

CBPN boots contractor for incompetence

ObserverNational NewsCBPN boots contractor for incompetence, CBPN on behalf of the Namibia Vocational Training Authority (NTA), Namibia Vocational Training Authority (NTA)

Obrein Simasiku The Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CBPN) has booted a contractor who was appointed to construct a N$35 million state-of-the-art Vocational Training Centre in Nkurenkuru. The contract was terminated for incompetency and falling short of the agreed time frame, after having only completed around seven percent of the supposed project, as well as failure to formulate and implement a catch-up plan. The tender was conducted by CBPN on behalf of the Namibia Vocational Training Authority (NTA) for the construction of the centre with an amount of N$35 561 067, of which at the time of the contract termination,…

29 Jun

School pleads for assistance to ‘stateless’ destitute children

ObserverNational NewsEheke in the Oshana Region, Esther Nakale, Ondiamande Combined School, School pleads for assistance to ‘stateless’ destitute children

Obrein Simasiku Ondiamande Combined School, at Eheke in the Oshana Region, is pleading with government, including good Samaritans to come to the aid of 14 destitute children of whom five are school-going and who find themselves in abject poverty. The children are under the care of their elderly grandmother, who is also looking after her own two mentally ill elder children. This was brought to Observer's attention by Esther Nakale, a Life Skills teacher at Ondiamande, who said the livelihood of the family is painful, as she pleaded with to the government to at least take charge of the five…

29 Jun

PM calls for enhanced fight against ocean pollution

ObserverNational NewsPM calls for enhanced fight against ocean pollution, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila

Obrein Simasiku Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has called for a unified fight against polluting of oceans and maritime piracy, as she emphasised the integral part oceans play in the Namibian economy. Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said this at the 2nd United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon. "We cannot engage on the issue of marine and aquatic resources without looking into the negative impact of pollution. Pollution in oceans should be viewed in a holistic manner. If land pollution control measures are poorly implemented, ocean pollution is inevitable. In this regard, investments should be increased to prevent and manage pollution both on land and…

29 Jun

Laws must be streamlined to fight fake qualifications

ObserverNational NewsLaws must be streamlined to fight fake qualifications, Mike Kavekotora, Ministry of Higher Education, Namibia Training Authority (NTA), Van Kent

Martin Endjala The Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation officials have revealed that due to the gap between legislative bodies of higher education that regulate institutions, it is proving to be a challenge to address forgery and falsification of qualifications. The Namibia Training Authority (NTA), Namibia Council of Higher Education (NCHE) and the Namibia Qualifications (NQA) Authority are the regulating bodies of higher education institutions country. The Executive Director of MHETI Alfred Van Kent said that one of the Ministry’s challenges is the executing laws that are put in place that regulate higher education institutions. The MHETI ED said…

29 Jun

Rotational principle election saga under the scope

ObserverNational NewsMacky Sall, Pan-African Parliament, Rotational principle election saga under the scope

Martin Endjala The fifth Pan-African Parliament session following last year’s chaotic and aborted event are meeting this week in South Africa to among other elect a President, which was fiercely fought last year. The South and West caucuses fought for their candidates and the election was postponed and the African parliamentarians will again be meeting with an agenda of electing a new president and a vice-President during which all five caucuses will root for their candidates. With the embarrassing pandemonium election still fresh in some minds, the parliamentarians will try and put all of it behind and hope to speak…