Observer – Page 570 – Windhoek Observer

01 Aug

Facial recognition for GIFP members

ObserverNational NewsBiometric System, Evans Maswahu, GIPF chairperson Benefits and Administration Committee, Government Pension Insitutions Fund (GIPF)

Obrein Simasiku The Government Pension Insitutions Fund (GIPF) has intensified security features, sealing loopholes of dubious payments to non-existent individuals by cheating the system, as it introduced a Biometric System which can capture both facial and fingerprints. Previously the fund heavily relied on fingerprint identification, while the new system has an added security feature of facial scanning which has a liveness detection. This is especially critical to members with disabilities in respect of their hands, or damage to fingers which may be difficult to scan, says Evans Maswahu, GIPF chairperson Benefits and Administration Committee. The new system has verification capabilities…

Mushelenga’s dedication<br>worth emulating- Geingob

01 Aug

Mushelenga’s dedication
worth emulating- Geingob

ObserverNational NewsMushelenga’s dedication worth emulating- Geingob, Nkrumah Mushelenga, president Hage Geingob, refugee commissioners

Martin Endjala President Hage Geingob has reiterated that the legacy of the former refugee commissioner and Swapo veteran fighter Nkrumah Mushelenga is worth emulating in building the country and making it a better place for all. Geingob said this in his condolences message on Sunday. “I have learned with sadness of the passing on of a freedom fighter and senior civil servant, comradeNkrumah Mushelenga. On behalf of the government and the Namibian people, I extend our sincereheartfelt condolences to the children and the entire bereaved Mushelenga family,’’ Geingob expressed. Mushelenga died on the 27th July 2022. Mushelenga leaves an illustrious…

30 Jul

Family of man killed by jumbo receive N$100 000

ObserverNational News57-year-old man, Family of man killed by jumbo receive N$100 000, N$10 000, N$100 000 for loss of life, National Policy on Human and Wildlife Conflict (HWC), Victor Mubiano

Obrein Simasiku The family of the 57-year-old man who was trampled to death by an elephant at Impalila island in the Zambezi region, will receive compensation of N$100 000 from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism through its National Policy on Human and Wildlife Conflict (HWC) management. The deceased identified as Victor Mubiano was attacked and killed by the elephant on Sunday evening, while a second victim Nkonga Simataa (24) who survived with severe injuries was also trampled in a separate incident the same day.HWC policy management makes provision of a N$100 000 for loss of life, N$10 000 for…

30 Jul

Extended Levies reduction bites parastatal ….August fuel maintained

ObserverNational Newse Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, Extended Levies reduction bites parastatal ….August fuel maintained, RFA

Obrein Simasiku Parastatals benefitting from fuel levies must brace for the worst, as the Ministry of Mines and Energy has resolved to extend the levy reduction amnesty until further notice, thus lengthening the financial difficulties of companies such as the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, Natis and Namcor whose levies were cut by 25% and 50%. The companies are crying as they feel the financial crunch, which has already led to some streamlining their operations and reduce the provision of much needed services to the public. MVA Fund said they were losing about N$11 million in a month, and by December…

30 Jul

Traditional circumciser becomes community mobilizer

ObserverNational NewsNamibia’s Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC), Norich Uararakana Kaurika, Otjozondjupa Region, Traditional circumciser becomes community mobilizer

Staff Writer Norich Uararakana Kaurika, 44, is a respected traditional circumciser from Okakarara, a small town in the Otjozondjupa Region. Norich takes pride in performing circumcisions because in his tribe (Ovaherero), tradition dictates that every young man should be circumcised not only as a rite of passage but also to prevent infections and improve hygiene. He explains the traditional role the fraternity of boys circumcised in the same year is playing for all of them. ‘’In difficult times, the men in the group will become each other’s pillars of hope. They keep each other accountable for staying on the straight…

30 Jul

Grandmother’s intuitions come true

ObserverNational NewsBachelors Degree in computer science from the Namibia University of Science and Technology, Grandmother’s intuitions come true, Immagine Shikomba, Keemunda Foundation., Patrick Issaks

Martin Endjala Keemunda, which means helping and caring for others, is the name given by the grandmother.Little did she know that she will become just that.Immagine Shikomba, who holds a Bachelors Degree in computer science from the Namibia University of Science and Technology formed a civil society organization eight years ago called Keemunda Foundation.The name Keemunda comes from Psalms 121, “my help comes from the Lord the maker of heaven and earth”.Shikomba in her reminiscences of her late grandmother, told Windhoek Observer in an interviewthat she never knew what Keemunda meant. When she one day asked her grandmother, she was…

29 Jul

PDMYL hits back at SPYL

ObserverNational NewsAnselm Marungu, Popular Democratic Movement Youth League (PDMYL), Yvette Araes

Staff Writer The Popular Democratic Movement Youth League (PDMYL) has fired back at the statements made by Swapo Party Youth League secretary for Kavango East region, Anselm Marungu in interview with a local newspaper, The Namibian. PDMYL acting secretary general Yvette Araes said the statement made by Marungu ignore the critical role that opposition political parties play in a functioning democracy. “Healthy, resilient democracies are based on inclusiveness, in which all political parties big or small, representatives of institutions are in key positions to safeguard our democracy. When groups perpetuate the exclusion of individuals from the democratic process or the…

29 Jul

Fourth Industrial Revolution report ready for submission

ObserverNational News4IR Task Force Chair, Anicia Peters, Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Task Force

Tujoromajo Kasuto The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Task Force, which has been tasked with conducting a country assessment to determine Namibia’s readiness for 4IR and making recommendations for a coordinated and coherent policy and legislative framework, is expected to submit its report to Cabinet by the end of July 2022. According to 4IR Task Force Chair, Anicia Peters the assessment has been completed and is ready for submission. I don’t know when exactly the report will be released to the public but around the end of July we will hand in the final report. However, when those recommendations will be…

Omuthiya Festival started<br>…council ignores legal threats

29 Jul

Omuthiya Festival started
…council ignores legal threats

ObserverNational NewsJohannes Ndeutepo, Omuthiya Othithiya, Peya Mushelenga, Shinedima

Obrein Simasiku The Omuthiya Town Council has steamed ahead with the idea of hosting the Omuthiya Othithiya despite legal threats from someone who claimed intellectual rights to the festival. There was uncertainty whether the event would materialise following a legal tussle between, an aspirant host of a similar event, Samuel Shinedima, who threatened to litigation in the High Court, claiming that council had copied his idea, after he had initially made a presentation back in 2019, to which the local authority went mute on him. Regardless of the threats, the town mayor Johannes Ndeutepo who has been championing the festival,…

29 Jul

Experts call for local business growth

ObserverNational News4th Africa Youth in Tourism Summit, Africa Youth in Tourism Summit and Challenges, Experts call for local business growth

Martin Endjala Experts attending the 4th Africa Youth in Tourism Summit have called on local businesses to partner with international companies for the growth of local products. The local business industry has for many years lived in the shadows of multinationals, with experts stressing that the Africa Youth in Tourism needs to start finding new solutions in reinvigorating a normal buy-stander into buying locally made products particularly in the tourism sector that has been heavily impacted by Covid-19. Virtual and online businesses are seen as fast emerging options that local business needs to start considering in order to grow and…