Observer – Page 702 – Windhoek Observer

26 Feb

Masisi jets in for desalination plant talks

ObserverObserver MoneyBotswana, Namibia, president Hage Geingob, President Mokgweetsi Masisi

Maria Hamutenya Namibia and Botswana are still moving ahead with plans to set up a joint desalination plant at the coast, with President Mokgweetsi Masisi having jetted into the country on Thursday for a one day working visit with President Hage Geingob. The visit is Masisi’s second visit to the country in two months. Although exact details of the meeting, held behind closed doors, were sketchy, Masisi is said to have been invited by Geingob to meet unnamed investors interested in funding the project, a development confirmed by the Botswana President through his social media. According to Masisi, Namibia has…

26 Feb

Dark days loom for Government ministries …as government owes City N$82 million bill

ObserverObserver MoneyCity of Windhoek, Government, Harold Akwenye

Andrew Kathindi The Windhoek Observer can reveal that government is in arrears of over N$82 million to the City of Windhoek (CoW), a position which saw electricity disconnected at more than eight government ministries and agencies on Thursday. Government’s woes are, however, expected to mount as CoW has vowed to continue with disconnection at other ministries next week. “The total debt owned by Government is N$ 82 million to date, although the suspension of electricity services was scheduled to start yesterday (Wednesday), it has only commenced today and will continue next week,” City spokesperson Harold Akwenye said. On the individual…

25 Feb

ALI Celebrates its 100th group of leader graduates

ObserverUncategorisedAfrican Leadership Institute

FNB, through the FirstRand Namibia Foundation and the African Leadership Institute (ALI) recently celebrated the 100th group of leaders who completed their training and received their NQA accredited Certificate in Transformational Leadership. Amongst these leaders were Ministry of Health and Social Services leaders from Oshakati, Omaruru, the Omaheke region and Katutura Hospital. Revonia Kahivere, CSI Manager of the FirstRand Namibia Foundation recognized the collaboration the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) and ALI which has been successful for more than five years, resulting in more than 50 health administrators and leaders being armored with the power to effectively raise…

25 Feb

Science must decide mining projects

ObserverUncategorisedBotswana, Kavango, Namibia, Okavango Delta, World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

CHAMWE KAIRA Namibia is in the international headlines because of the test drilling for oil and gas by a Canadian company, Reconnaissance Energy Africa in the two Kavango regions. “Test drilling for oil and gas begins in Namibia’s Okavango region,” read a headline in the National Geographic’s article saying the drilling rig is placed in an elephant habitat some 160 miles from the wildlife-rich Okavango Delta. The Mail & Guardian ran with the headline; “Okavango Delta under threat from oil, gas exploration,” with the gist of the story saying San leaders were decrying Canadian climate-wrecking oil and gas project in…

25 Feb

Ovaherero, Nama still to appeal

ObserverObserver MoneyNama, Ovaherero, Ovaherero Traditional Authority

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri Five months later the Ovaherero and Nama people are still to appeal last September’s US Court’s ruling which refused to hear their case against the German government citing lack of jurisdiction over the matter. The two tribes had approached the US Courts in pursuit of genocide reparations against the German government. Nama Traditional Leaders Association Secretary General, Deodat Dikse, confirmed to the Windhoek Observer that no action has been taken since the ruling was handed down. “The appeal is still in process as we are appealing to the Supreme Court, it has not yet been finalised yet, and…

25 Feb

COVID-19 vaccine delivery shifts to March …as N$583m is budgeted

ObserverObserver MoneyAstraZeneca, COVAX, Covid-19

Andrew Kathindi Government now expects the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is being procured under the COVAX Facility, only in March. This is a shift from a January communique with the COVAX Facility, which had informed Minister of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) , Kalumbi Shangula, that the vaccine should be expected in the country by the middle or end of this month. “The COVAX Facility allocated doses of vaccines to Namibia are expected in March 2021,” stated Shangula. The AstraZeneca vaccine, however, has been found to be ineffective against the new variant in South Africa. According to the Health minister, the…

24 Feb

PwC not off the hook – PAAB . . . as firm drops August 26

ObserverObserver MoneyAugust 26, PAAB, PwC, PwC Namibia

Maria Hamutenya The Public Accounts and Auditor’s Board (PAAB) maintains that PwC Namibia is not off the hook over allegations made against it that it deliberately overlooked anomalies found during its audit of August 26. This is despite the international firm resigning recently as the auditor of August 26. “The resignation of an auditor does not impact the investigations into alleged misconduct with regards to August 26. Investigations will be done as long as the alleged misconduct occurred during the time when the registered and licenced auditor was in office,” PAAB Head of Secretariat, Zaa Nashandi, told Windhoek Observer. Whether…

24 Feb

No request for de Klerk’s extradition . . . as trial looms

ObserverObserver MoneyMarén de Klerk, Martha Imalwa, Paulus Noa

Andrew Kathindi With less than two months before the Fishrot pre-trial in the High Court, Government is yet to begin the extradition process of lawyer Maren De Klerk, dubbed “paymaster” of millions of state funds from Fishcor. De Klerk, who has been indicted by the Prosecutor-General (PG), Martha Imalwa, has been in South Africa for over a year. Director of the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC), Paulus Noa, said the extradition process is initiated by the Ministry of Justice. But the Justice ministry Head of Legal Services responsible for extraditions, Simataa Lennon Limbo, denied this. “No request for Meren De Klerk lies…

23 Feb

Time to decolonise, redefine global health

ObserverUncategorisedCovid-19

Fifa Rahman, Felicita Hikuam, Nyasha Chingore-Munazvo, and Gisa Dang* The COVID-19 pandemic is a bleak reminder of the enduring inequity in global public health. Despite early warnings, the global response does not take into account the racial inequality underpinning health outcomes (think lack of healthy food options, green spaces, safety, housing density), nor that diagnostic tools such as pulse oximeters are not accurate on non-white skin. Glaringly, Global North responses to COVID-19 have not been the most efficacious nor the most effective. For example, the United Kingdom, the United States and Sweden have failed to adequately protect their populations, while…

23 Feb

Nine shortlisted for Fishcor CEO post

ObserverObserver MoneyNational Fishing Corporation of Namibia (Fishcor)

Staff Writer National Fishing Corporation of Namibia (Fishcor) has announced it has shortlisted nine candidates for the vacant Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position and plans to appoint a candidate next month. The company has been operating without a substantive CEO since December 2019, following the suspension and subsequent arrest of Mike Nghipunya last February after being implicated in the Fishrot scandal, resulting in his employment termination last November. “The position was advertised in November and closed on the 27 November 2020. The Board is conscious that the CEO search process is not hastened nor slowed, taking into account the December…