Blog – Page 12 – Windhoek Observer

13 Jan

Assessment finds Venus offshore project acceptable

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira An environmental and social assessment has found that the proposed Venus Offshore Development Project aligns with Namibia’s key national and energy policies. This includes the sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), which seeks to balance economic growth with reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The assessment says the project’s remaining environmental impacts, after mitigation, are expected to be low to negligible during normal operations. The main exception is greenhouse gas emissions, which were rated as having a medium to high negative impact under European Bank for Reconstruction and Development criteria. These emissions will be managed through an Energy and Carbon Management…

13 Jan

Stimulus issues further cautionary announcement

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Stimulus Investments Limited has issued a further cautionary announcement to shareholders, saying negotiations are still under way and could have a material effect on its share price if successfully concluded. The company said the update follows earlier cautionary announcements released on 14 August 2025, 25 September 2025 and 6 November 2025. Shareholders have been advised to continue exercising caution when trading Stimulus’ preference shares until a further announcement is made. The board issued the notice through its sponsor, Cirrus Securities, a member of the Namibia Securities Exchange. In its audited financial results for the year ended 28 February,…

12 Jan

Grant chaos: beneficiaries by Nampost inefficiencies

Main, National News

Allexer Namundjembo Social grant beneficiaries have expressed disappointment with Namibia Post Limited (Nampost) over the way social grants are being distributed. This has led to many calling for the return of Epupa Investment Technology (EIT). Beneficiaries who spoke to the Windhoek Observer said grant payouts have become slow and difficult since Nampost took over, unlike when Epupa handled the process. Some beneficiaries reported that the situation escalated last week due to ongoing long queues and delays. Emma Amakali, a pension grant beneficiary, said distributions were faster and more organised under Epupa. “It was never this chaotic. Now you go to…

12 Jan

‘School principals alone cannot expel learners’ – ED

National News

Renthia Kaimbi The removal of a learner from a public school or hostel is not a decision a principal or school board can make on their own, says Erastus Haitengela, executive director of the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture. Haitengela spoke as the Windhoek Observer received complaints from parents who say they were caught off guard by suspensions and expulsions, leaving them to face the cost of finding new schools and uniforms. He explained that the suspension and expulsion of learners are governed by strict legal procedures that require several levels of oversight and written communication…

12 Jan

Negumbo SS learners told to bring mattresses to school

National News

Allexer Namundjembo Negumbo Senior Secondary School, located about 50 kilometres from Oshakati, has asked 38 students to bring mattresses to school because of severe overcrowding at its hostel. The situation has raised concerns about learner welfare and the learning environment. The school last year appealed to the Omusati regional education directorate to address the overcrowding. In 2025, the hostel accommodated 589 learners, which is 141 more than its approved capacity of 448 beds. Documents seen by the Windhoek Observer show that the school suggested postponing planned classroom construction to prioritise fixing the hostel shortage. Letters addressed to the Elim Circuit…

12 Jan

AR wants GIPF housing scheme expanded to low-income communities

National News

Justicia Shipena The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement has called on the government to use the new Pension-Backed Home Loan Scheme (PBHLS) as a starting point for wider housing reform that also includes landless and low-income communities. The call follows the announcement by the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) on Friday that the PBHLS begins today. The scheme allows government employees to use part of their pension savings to buy, build or renovate homes. While welcoming the move, AR said the scheme mainly benefits formally employed public servants and does not address the housing needs of most Namibians living in informal…

12 Jan

TURNING POINT | A renewed vision for Namibian education: The urgent case for schools of excellence

Featured, Opinions

For many Namibians who passed through the school system in the 1980s, the mention of Concordia Secondary School still evokes a particular sense of pride. It was not simply a school; it was a destination for academic promise. In an era defined by segregation and profound injustice, Concordia became a place where academically gifted Black students from across the country were gathered, challenged, and nurtured. Ironically, while the system that created it was unjust, the principle behind it was sound: exceptional academic ability requires intentional cultivation. Today, more than three decades after independence, Namibia no longer has a national institution…

12 Jan

Clarity is the currency of trust in public policy

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

Namibia’s announcement that the state will begin covering tuition and registration fees at public tertiary institutions from the 2026 academic year is, without question, one of the most ambitious and potentially transformative policy decisions in recent years. It is a policy rooted in the noble objective of expanding access to higher education and vocational training, particularly for students from low-income households. Yet, as President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s clarification during the 2025 state of the nation address demonstrated, the public conversation around this initiative has been muddied by confusion over what “free education” means. This confusion underscores a deeper and recurring challenge:…

12 Jan

A transformative agenda for Namibia’s invisible workforce: from informal to formal

Featured, Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) The silent backbone of the nation Over half of Namibia’s workforce is engaged in the informal economy. These workers wake up early, toil hard, and provide for their families, fuelling the nation’s economy, yet they largely remain invisible in official statistics, social protection schemes, and public policy. Yet, this is not a peripheral sector but the quiet backbone of the country’s survival. Considering that more than half of Namibia’s workforce is informal and excluded from tax and social protection systems, how much potential revenue does the government lose each year…

12 Jan

Emerging miners push for access to modern equipment

National News

Allexer Namundjembo Emerging and small-scale miners have called for better access to modern mining equipment, processing facilities and geological support to strengthen their participation in Namibia’s mineral value chain. The concerns were raised during a consultative meeting held last Wednesday between the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy and the Emerging Mining Association of Namibia (EMAN). During the meeting, stakeholders discussed the implementation of natural resource beneficiation strategies. EMAN president Thekla Mutero said limits on the use of modern equipment in areas designated as mining claims continue to affect productivity among small-scale miners. She said these restrictions reduce efficiency and…