Windhoek Observer – Page 708 – Windhoek Observer

10 Nov

City reveals debt write-off plans for qualifying residents

National News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The City of Windhoek (CoW) has disclosed that it is finalising a submission to the council for a debt write-off program for qualifying debt-stricken residents. Mayor, Joseph Uapingene, at the ordinary council meeting this week said that as of 31 October 2023, the city has accrued debt of N$1.2 billion. Uapingene said the city sees the initiative as a step in alleviating financial burdens and aiding residents. “We believe that our work around this will conclude before the end of the year, and I regard this as a vital step towards alleviating financial burdens and helping our residents…

10 Nov

A limited amount of lithium ore can be exported again

Observer Money

Niël Terblanché Namibia's Ministry of Mines and Energy has granted permission for a one-off export of 6,000 tonnes of unprocessed lithium ore. This comes just weeks after a blanket ban was imposed on exporting and transporting the raw material. The go-ahead was given in a letter from Bryan Eiseb, the Executive Director of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, to the Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo. This decision follows a high-level meeting between the mining ministry staff and the Namibian Police top brass, aiming to reconcile regulatory compliance with economic activity. The permission is specifically…

10 Nov

CBIG beneficiaries cautioned against Swapo’s vote-garnering tricks

National NewsCBIG beneficiaries cautioned against Swapo’s vote-garnering tricks

Martin Endjala Conditional Basic Income Grant (CBIG) beneficiaries have been cautioned not to fall into the trap of the Swapo Party’s attempts to garner votes for the 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections. The Rally for Democracy Progress’s (RDP) Secretary General, Kennedy Shekupakela, who is also a Member of Parliament, stated that this is a desperate attempt, by the incumbent government to convince Namibians to vote for them, while the programme in itself is not sustainable. “This is a desperate attempt to secure votes for 2024. The sorry part of it is that our people in the villages will fall…

10 Nov

Geingob travels to Finland for Ahtisaari funeral

National NewsGeingob travels to Finland for Ahtisaari funeral

Niël Terblanché President Hage Geingob of Namibia embarked on a solemn journey to Finland to attend the State Funeral of the former President of Finland, Martti Ahtisaari, who passed away recently. Ahtisaari’s relationship with Namibia dates back to his tenure as Ambassador of Finland to Tanzania. In 1975, he was appointed as a senator to the Council of the United Nations Institute for Namibia (UNIN), a position that eventually led to his appointment as Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Namibia in 1978 by then-United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim. In 1989, the United Nations Secretary-General appointed Ahtisaari to lead the…

10 Nov

Maternity leave pay requires actual evaluation: Nujoma

National NewsMaternity leave pay requires actual evaluation: Nujoma

Stefanus Nashama The Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation, Utoni Nujoma in response to questions in Parliament, said the issue of full salary payments for women’s maternity leave requires an actual evaluation. Nujoma was responding to Popular Democratic Movement Member of Parliament, Winnie Moongo, who tabled a motion in September this year, to discuss the possibility of increasing the amount payable in respect of maternity leave. This, she said includes paying women their full salaries and extending maternity leave days. In response, the Minister said that the Social Security Commission exists to protect insured working Namibians from loss…

10 Nov

Namibia set to become biosecurity hub

National NewsNamibia set to become biosecurity hub

Niël Terblanché Namibia is set to redefine agricultural innovation with the establishment of a state-of-the-art AgriTech hub by Got Produce Global, a leader in agricultural technology. Situated just outside Swakopmund, the facility is poised to become a pivotal biosecurity seed bank and breeding centre, setting new benchmarks for the agricultural industry in the region. The inauguration of the Got Produce Global innovation hub marks a significant milestone in agricultural research and development. The hub will concentrate on pioneering crop production methods, extensive crop variety assessments, and specialized training programs in hydroponics, equipping the local workforce with the skills necessary for…

10 Nov

Namibians should guard against cybercrimes during festive season

National NewsNamibians should guard against cybercrimes during festive season

Martin Endjala Johann Van Rooyen, a Senior Technical Advisor at the Green Enterprise Solution has called on Namibian consumers to exercise a level of high alert amidst cybercrimes which often increase during the holiday season. He said the end of the year is filled with frantic shopping, Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and online shopping are the norm. Although in Namibia, most people still go to physical shops, there is a shift to shopping online, and this is where hackers see the window of opportunity. “As we approach the most wonderful time of the year, we start thinking about…

10 Nov

Teachers’ unions discuss possible salary increment

National Newsand Namibia Public Workers Union (Nampu) this week held a meeting in the northern regions to discuss issues related to teachers’ salary increases., The Namibia National Teachers’ Union (Nantu)

Stefanus Nashama The Namibia National Teachers’ Union (Nantu), and Namibia Public Workers Union (Nampu) this week held a meeting in the northern regions to discuss issues related to teachers’ salary increases. According to Nantus’ Chairperson, Hosian Hitanua, the union has had several meetings with the government regarding the teachers’ salary increment. Hitanua indicated that the union continues to engage stakeholders to ensure all the demands of the teachers are met. “We will continue to engage the government on the matter. This is to ensure that the demands of our colleagues in the teaching industry are met,” the Chairperson said. He…

10 Nov

GRN generates more than N$1 Billion in vehicle auction

MainGRN generates more than N$1 Billion in vehicle auction

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Ministry of Works and Transport has generated a total of N$105 153 881 million by auctioning off unwanted government vehicles in the last six years. The ministry’s spokesperson, Julias Ngweda, confirmed these figures to Windhoek Observer during an interview conducted recently. He said the money was generated from a total of 83 auctions the ministry conducted in the last six years, of which 17 auctions were done in the 2018/19 financial year, making a revenue of N$ N$ 26 336 036.00. In the 2019/20 financial year, the ministry conducted a total of 20 auctions that generated revenue…

10 Nov

Donation introduces deeper medical cooperation

National NewsDonation introduces deeper medical cooperation

Niël Terblanché Walvis Bay recently became the stage for a significant advancement in Sino-Namibian relations as the governments of Namibia and China unveiled the China-Namibia paired hospital cooperation mechanism at the Walvis Bay State Hospital. The launch was accompanied by a generous donation from the Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, with medical equipment valued at N$1.07 million. The assortment of medical devices, including advanced ventilators, patient and defibrillation monitors, neonatal incubators, and portable suction units, is a tangible boost to Namibia’s healthcare capabilities. Additionally, the donation also includes a telemedicine collaboration platform and a cloud imaging system, setting…