Windhoek Observer – Page 8 – Windhoek Observer

10 Sep

Ministry extends Haib Copper project rights

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira The ministry of industries, mines and energy has renewed Koryx Copper’s exclusive prospecting licence (EPL) 3140 for the Haib Copper Project in southern Namibia. The licence, valid until July 2027, was granted after the company submitted a technical update and confirmed that it had met its expenditure commitments during the previous licence period. Under the renewal terms, Koryx must provide progress updates after the first year and keep annual environmental clearance certificates from the ministry of environment, forestry and tourism. Koryx has also applied for a mining licence, as it moves to shift the Haib project from exploration…

10 Sep

NamPower launches GridOnline’s new pricing structure

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira New services under NamPower’s GridOnline platform will enable smaller operators to be competitive and expand internet access to underserved areas. This forms part of a new, unified national pricing framework launched in Windhoek, replacing the previous cost-recovery model that was based on fibre distance usage. NamPower’s chief operating officer, Fritz Jacobs, speaking on behalf of managing director Kahenge Haulofu, said the change goes beyond pricing adjustments. “We are adding services that will enable smaller operators to be competitive and to grow, to offer internet connectivity in underserved areas. With these innovations, GridOnline is positioning itself not simply as…

10 Sep

Entrepreneurs urged to embrace digital tools

Observer Money

The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) recently hosted its first Digital Transformation and Entrepreneurship Breakfast Session, an event that highlighted technology’s role in advancing entrepreneurship across the country. Cran's chief executive officer, Emilia Nghikembua, said starting a business is never easy and requires resilience, strategic foresight, and commitment. “The journey of entrepreneurship is often filled with challenges, uncertainties, and hurdles, but it also offers immense opportunities for growth, impact, and economic development,” she said. She noted that success begins with clarity of purpose, sound financial management, and a clear understanding of what one seeks to offer. She stressed the…

10 Sep

MTC expands fibre internet to eight new towns

Observer Money

Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) has expanded its fixed internet service, Spectra, to Maltahöhe, Rietoog, Stampriet, Aranos, Oshifo, Khorixas, Tsandi, and Otavi. MTC’s chief brand, marketing, communications and sustainability officer, Tim Ekandjo, said the rollout is part of the company’s commercial strategy to connect rural and semi-urban communities to fibre before the end of its financial year. He explained that the expansion forms part of MTC’s remote outreach strategy aimed at bridging the digital divide by investing in high-speed internet for settlements outside urban centres. “Our Spectra offering is the last entrant in the highly competitive fixed internet market, and our…

10 Sep

Is our government working clockwise with its people?

Opinions

Hidipo Hamata Many unemployed youths and adults find themselves unable to provide basic needs or put bread and butter on the table because they are unemployed. Employment is hard to find, and even when you are fortunate enough to secure a job, the salary is often too small to sustain yourself, let alone your extended family. Life is hard, but is our government truly working clockwise to find amicable solutions for her people — solutions that soften the economic pressure while also building the country brick by brick, together with its citizens? Today, thousands of Namibians have found creative ways…

10 Sep

SUCCESSION PLANNING, A MISSING LINK IN NAMIBIA’S PUBLIC ENTITIES

Featured, Opinions

Lusia Kornelius and Zucky Bauleth-Nashima Succession planning within Public Entities (PEs) has been overlooked, and failure to implement it can lead to operational inefficiency, derailed strategy implementation and financial losses. When key officials retire or leave unexpectedly, institutions are compelled to conduct external searches for replacements matching the qualifications and years of expertise. While replacement is inevitable, the process is usually lengthy, as it requires an extensive hiring process, which can contribute to operational stagnation and sometimes a management vacuum. These recruitment processes can incur financial implications, which could otherwise be utilised to fund key company projects and improve service…

10 Sep

OBSERVER DAILY | The middleman syndrome: How Namibia bleeds through procurement

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

The Minister of Health and Social Services recently boasted that the ministry saved more than N$200 million through better procurement practices. On the surface, this is good news. But before we clap, let’s pause. Why should we celebrate a ministry for simply not wasting money? Praising a government department for finally buying goods at fair value is like applauding a fish for swimming. It exposes the rot in our procurement system rather than proving its efficiency. And at the heart of this rot is the phenomenon of “middlemen.” The mrise of the middleman Middlemen exist in every economy. They connect…

09 Sep

Over ten traditional authorities without leaders …NNN cautions against rising demands for new authorities

Main

Allexer Namundjembo More than ten traditional authorities in the country remain without leadership due to succession disputes. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah revealed this on Monday at the opening of the 26th annual meeting of the Council of Traditional Leaders at Ekamuti Guesthouse in Ondangwa. The country has 53 recognised traditional authorities, but several are caught in long-running leadership battles. Nandi-Ndaitwah warned that the disputes are undermining traditional governance and consuming resources meant for urgent priorities. “As I am speaking to you now, out of 53 recognised Traditional Authorities, there are more than ten Traditional Authorities without leadership due to succession disputes,”…

09 Sep

Presidency foots bill for non-state guest in Paris

National News

Justicia Shipena The office of the President paid for the accommodation and meals of a non-government employee during a September 2023 trip to Paris. This was one of several irregular expenses flagged in the latest audit report by Auditor General Junias Kandjeke for the financial year ending 31 March 2024. Kandjeke’s office also detected what appears to be a double payment of nearly N$1 million linked to the same trip. The report does not mention who was on the trip and for which purpose. However, during that period, the late president Hage Geingob made a technical stopover in Paris between…

09 Sep

Health ministry to track medicines to patients through barcoding

National News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The ministry of health and social services says it will introduce track-and-trace barcoding to monitor medicines from central storage to patients. This will be carried out under one secure facility, with long-term pharmaceutical contracts finalised through the Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) after legal disputes delayed the process for four years. This comes as the ministry on Monday admitted that drug stock-outs continue despite an N$1.8 billion budget for pharmaceuticals and clinical supplies in the 2025/26 financial year. “We are now moving away from a reactive approach to a proactive one, where we anticipate demand and secure…