Blog – Page 752 – Windhoek Observer

01 Oct

Agribank makes new appointments

ObserverUncategorisedAgribank, Ingo, Muhindua Kaura

Staff Writer Agribank has appointed its Organisational Development (OD) Manager Muhindua Kaura as the new Executive for Human Resources with effect from 1 October 2020. Kaura, who has been with the Bank since January 2015 will succeed Selma Ambunda, who is set to leave the Bank by the end of this month. The Bank has also appointed its Otjiwarongo Branch Control Officer Etuhole Ingo as the Regional Branch Manager for Oshakati, effective from 1 November 2020. Ingo is set to succeed Johannes Nekwaya, who will go on retirement after a life-long career of distinguished service to the Bank. Announcing their…

01 Oct

Eos Capital launches agriculture investment fund

ObserverUncategorisedAgriculture Renaissance in Namibia, Eos Capital, Euphrates Agriculture Fund

Staff Writer Private equity firm Eos Capital has announced the launch of its third fund – the Euphrates Agriculture Fund. The fund’s target is to raise N$500 million by March 2021. The Euphrates Fund according to the company aims to bring about an Agriculture Renaissance in Namibia and its mission will be to facilitate the industrialization of the agriculture sector, deliver social impact and provide medium term returns to investors. The fund will make equity and quasi-equity investments into unlisted vehicles and target sectors will include agro-processing, distribution and logistics, commercial agriculture, retail, biomass, and manufacturing of chemicals, fertilizers, seeds,…

01 Oct

UNICEF warns over COVID anxiety

ObserverUncategorisedKenanao Motlhoiwa, UNICEF Namibia

Clifton Movirongo UNICEF Namibia has warned that COVID-19 may increase the level anxiety for most pupils as all school phases’ return reopen. According to Chief Child Survival & Development, UNICEF Namibia, Kenanao Motlhoiwa the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to disrupt the daily lives of school children while compounding traumatic experiences. “If a child is afraid that they will get infected with COVID-19 that is a lot of anxiety. We have observed that if a child understands what is being done to protect them, it lowers the anxiety. School will be very different from what it was before thus to avoid…

01 Oct

CoW finally approves decongestion plan

ObserverUncategorisedCity of Windhoek, decongest some Windhoek informal settlements, Fransina Kahungu

Helena Johannes The City of Windhoek had finally approved its plan to decongest some Windhoek informal settlements as a Covid19 emergency response measure close to two months after President Hage Geingob gave the directive, despite the number of Covid19 drastically decreasing. “The plan is well on track as I don’t know when exactly, but the plan was approved recently by the city council just this month,” Windhoek Mayor, Fransina Kahungu told the Windhoek Observer. She said the city council has given the mandate to its technical staff to research on places that need to be decongested. “They have started already…

01 Oct

Jooste fires NIDA board

ObserverUncategorisedNIDA board, Public Enterprises minister Leon Jooste

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/…

01 Oct

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

ObserverUncategorisedAlbert Kawana, Finance Minister Iipumbu Shiimi, fishing quota auctions, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources

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…

30 Sep

Hold candidates accountable; demand the details!

ObserverNational Newscandidates

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…

30 Sep

SWAPO mum on youth election participation

ObserverObserver MoneyAffirmative Repositioning (AR), Swapo Party

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…

30 Sep

Air Namibia employees call for Mberirua’s axing

ObserverObserver MoneyAir Namibia

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…

29 Sep

A tax policeman is not the solution

ObserverNational NewsCommissioner for the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA), Sam Shivute

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…