Observer

8771 Posts
Jooste fires NIDA board

Jooste fires NIDA board

Staff Writer The troubled Namibia Industrial Development (NIDA) board has been given the boot by Public Enterprises minister Leon Jooste. The Frans Kwala led board appointed by the then Trade Minister, Tjekero Tweya, in 2018 was given its marching orders by Jooste after failing to justify its continued stay, amid mounting governance and operational challenges at the parastatal. Also booted out are board members, Anita /Narib, Hans Jochelson, Job Muniaro, Dr Diana van Schalkwyk and Marcelina ! Gaoses. “To be fair to the Board, I requested the NIDA Board, collectively and individually, to provide my office with relevant documentations and/…
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Govt raises paltry N$8.4m from quota auction …as second auction is slated for November

Govt raises paltry N$8.4m from quota auction …as second auction is slated for November

Andrew Kathindi Government said it will require bidders to prove financial stability in their next round of fishing quota auctions in November after only managing to secure N$8.4 million from an initial N$627.9million worth of bids. Finance Minister Iipumbu Shiimi said that even though most of the successful bidders of the auction, which took place last month, had requested for an extension to settle their dues, most of them did not keep their payment commitments as they were expected to settle their allocations by 2nd September 2020. “In the future, punitive measures will be introduced including requirements for payment guarantees…
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Hold candidates accountable; demand the details!

As the campaign season gears up for local and regional elections, it is time for the voting public to hold parties accountable and demand the details. People need to ask a simple question after every generalized comment made by political parties. “How do you plan to do that?” This question will separate the wheat from the chaff. Politicians must have a plan or strategy that makes sense. They must be recorded and held accountable when/if they do not deliver. It is easy to stand on a stage and say anything that pleases the crowd. Politicians often change their promises and…
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SWAPO mum on youth election participation

SWAPO mum on youth election participation

Helena Johannes The ruling Swapo party remains mum on its position regarding youth participation for the upcoming regional council and local authority elections slated for the 25th of November 2020. This comes as the ruling party has been heavily criticized over its policy of fielding older candidates in previous elections at the expense of the youth. Currently the party has been attacked over its decision to field 62 year old Aram Martin, a former Councilor and Member of Parliament as its preferred candidate to run as councilor of Oshakati West in the Oshana region. The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leader Job…
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Air Namibia employees call for Mberirua’s axing

Air Namibia employees call for Mberirua’s axing

Andrew Kathindi and Helena Johannes Air Namibia employees are calling for the immediate removal of interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Theo Mberirua after their salaries were officially cut last week. This comes after the national airliner previously announced that it will cut, by 50 percent, salaries of all employees who have been unable to report for work due to a grounded fleet, incompliance with state of emergency regulations. Despite Air Namibia’s flight schedule resumption after the state of emergency lapsed, Ndapewa Amupanda, Chairperson of the Shop Stewards’ Committee at Air Namibia confirmed to the Windhoek Observer that a company memo…
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A tax policeman is not the solution

Sam Shivute is the new Commissioner for the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA). The agency has no empowering legislation and is not yet operational. Hiring a tax enforcer at a time of extreme financial distress in the Namibian economy is ill-advised. Namibia is in serious financial trouble. Business and government must work hand-in-hand to save the economy. The government must not use a tax policeman to bash businesses on the head and then demand private sector participation in economic recovery. And yet, Shivute when stating his commitment to building a credible and trusted tax collections institution said that the tax and…
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FirstRand Namibia HOPE Fund hands over 25 ICU patient monitors

FirstRand Namibia HOPE Fund hands over 25 ICU patient monitors

Staff Writer The First Rand Namibia HOPE fund handed over 25 ICU patient monitors worth N$2.4 million to the Ministry of Health and Social Services last week as part of efforts to assist medical staff to respond better and quicker to the medical needs and treatment of their patients. Minister of Health and Social Services Kalumbi Shangula expressed his sincere appreciation towards FNB who made the generous contribution through the FirstRand H.O.P.E. fund. “I appreciate FNB’s commitment to meet government halfway to ensure the speedy recovery of COVID-19 patients.” Bronwen Chase, FirstRand H.O.P.E. Fund Team Leader said that the Group…
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DRC, Malawi to chair regional Model Laws Committee

DRC, Malawi to chair regional Model Laws Committee

Moses Magadza WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA – The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Malawi were last week elected chair and vice chair, respectively, of the recently-constituted Regional Parliamentary Model Laws Oversight Committee (RPMLOC) of the SADC Parliamentary Forum. This happened as the regional inter-parliamentary body acted towards ensuring that the region’s citizens benefit meaningfully from development of regional soft laws, which are arguably immensely persuasive. Model laws are typically developed in line with international human rights law and international best practice. The RPMLOC held its virtual meeting on Friday and unanimously elected DRC lawmaker Andre Leon Tumba as its chair for…
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PSEMAS audit still on-going

PSEMAS audit still on-going

Staff Writer The Ministry of Finance says the audit process of the Public Service Employee Medical Aid Scheme (PSEMAS) launched last year is still on-going, with 75 percent of the main members and 95 percent of dependents having been verified as part of measures to reduce fraud and abuse of the government employee’s medical fund. The member audit comes as media reports attributed to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) revealed the medical aid fund has been losing close to a billion dollars annually to fraud, abuse, waste and collusion. “During the first phase of the verification 95 percent of dependents…
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ACC chief investigator loses Prime Minister appeal

ACC chief investigator loses Prime Minister appeal

Staff Writer The High Court, on Monday 28 September, dismissed a case by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC)’s Chief of Investigation Phelem Masule who had sought to overturn Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila’s decision to remove him from his position. The Prime Minister, earlier last month, removed Masule from his role as the Chief of Investigation a mere week after he received the promotion, citing “irregularities” in his appointment. Masule, who replaced Nelius Becker who is now with the Namibian Police, last month approached the High Court to hear his case against the Prime Minister. When contacted for comment, ACC boss Paulus…
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