National News – Page 214 – Windhoek Observer

24 Nov

Aunt murders two-year-old niece with palm frond

ObserverNational NewsAunt murders two-year-old niece with palm frond

Hertta-Maria Amutenja A 40-year-old woman from Okafitukakuni Village in the Outapi Constituency was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly assaulting her two-year-and-6-months-old niece, Susan Noongo, with a dry stick part of palm frond. The assault resulted in Noongo sustaining a broken right arm and losing consciousness. The incident is alleged to have occurred around 14H00. According to the Omusati Regional Police Commander, Commissioner Ishmael Basson in a grim turn of events, at around 18h00 on the same day, the suspect reportedly placed the unconscious child in a baby carrier and transported her to Omahenene clinic. “The suspect put the deceased in…

23 Nov

NSFAF policies entrap unemployed youth in debt

ObserverNational NewsNSFAF policies entrap unemployed youth in debt

Stefanus Nashama In a passionate plea, Parliamentarian and Lawmaker Inna Hengari from the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) has called for a thorough review of the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) policies governing loan conditions for students. Hengari made this impassioned appeal during her recent parliamentary address, where she urged NSFAF to explore ways to incentivize loan beneficiaries to pursue entrepreneurship and job creation after completing their studies. According to her, the current six-month grace period for repaying NSFAF loans is inadequate and leads to a troubling situation where unemployed graduates find themselves burdened with debt shortly after receiving their…

23 Nov

Icelandic minister rejects Venaani’s demands on Samherji renewable energy funding

ObserverNational NewsIcelandic minister rejects Venaani’s demands on Samherji renewable energy funding

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Icelandic Minister of Environment, Energy, and Climate, Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson, has decisively turned down the proposal made by McHenry Venaani, the leader of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), urging the Icelandic government to reconsider its plan to provide a 100 million Icelandic krona renewable energy grant to the Samherji Company. Venaani had written to Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir earlier this month, expressing concerns about the renewable energy grant offered to Samherji, a company allegedly involved in corrupt activities in Namibia’s fishing industry, now known as the fishrot scandal. In response, Thórdarson emphasized that Samherji’s grant application…

23 Nov

Otavi municipality dumpsite without Environmental Clearance Certificate

ObserverNational NewsOtavi municipality dumpsite without Environmental Clearance Certificate

Hertta- Maria Amutenja According to Namibia’s Auditor General Junias Kandjeke, the Otavi municipality’s dumpsite and sewerage pond lack an Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC). The sad state of affairs was revealed in the Auditor General’s report on the town’s accounts for the financial years ending 30 June 2020 and 2021. Kandjeke said the town council failed to furnish ECC for both the dumpsite and the sewerage pond. “The auditors observed that the Council has a dumpsite and sewerage pond, however, no environmental clearance certificate could be provided,” he said The Auditor General said the town council neglected to allocate funds for…

23 Nov

Building plans valued at N$333 million were approved in October

ObserverNational NewsBuilding plans valued at N$333 million were approved in October

Martin Endjala In October, both Windhoek and Swakopmund municipalities approved a combined total of 268 building plans, with a prospective development value of N$333.2 million. This represents a 7.6 percent month-on-month decrease and a 19 percent year-on-year decline in approvals, while completed projects for the month reached 180. Simonis Storm Securities Economist, Halleluya Ndimulunde provided insights into the building statistics, highlighting that during October, the City of Windhoek approved 197 building plans, up by 22 from September, marking a monthly growth rate of 12.6 percent. This, however, also reflected a 29.6 percent decrease compared to October 2022. The total value…

23 Nov

Law enforcement agencies are prepared for the festive season

ObserverNational NewsLaw enforcement agencies are prepared for the festive season

Niël Terblanché As the festive season gets into full swing, law enforcement agencies in Namibia are poised to uphold their duty to protect and serve the public, striving to make the roads safer and promote a secure environment for all residents and visitors alike. As a result, these agencies in Namibia are gearing up and preparing to ensure public safety and security during a period traditionally associated with increased road accidents and other incidents. Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo, the Inspector General of the Namibian Police, during the launch of the Festive Season Road Safety Campaign in Swakopmund, has urged all…

23 Nov

PM urges local authorities to play their role effectively

ObserverNational News

Martin Endjala Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, has urged Local Authorities to play their roles effectively if the government is to succeed in realising its policy objective to promote highly sustainable and equitable economic growth and socio-economic development. She said Local Authorities are the first point of contact with the government by residents and businesses in urban areas as society is becoming increasingly urbanised. She made these remarks yesterday at the official opening of the Association for Local Authorities in Namibia (ALAN) and Namibia University Science Technology 2023 Good Governance, Leadership, and Project Management Training at Ongwediva in the Oshana Region.…

23 Nov

SAM will assess the impact of employment in Namibia

ObserverNational NewsSAM will assess the impact of employment in Namibia

Niël Terblanché The recent introduction to Namibia of the new and innovative Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) Model and the commitment to Employment Impact Assessment is a huge step towards enhancing employment opportunities, fostering economic growth, and ensuring a brighter future for the country’s workforce. The Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations, and Employment Creation, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Namibia Statistics Agency, has introduced the new SAM Model. This innovative model aims to assess the employment impact of existing and upcoming projects in Namibia, including the Green Hydrogen project and others. During the launch event, Lydia…

22 Nov

Meatco faces more cash flow problems as farmers demand immediate payment

ObserverNational News

Niël Terblanché Cattle farmers in Namibia have raised concerns over delayed payments from the Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco), citing the state-owned enterprise’s severe cash flow problems that are impacting their ability to meet financial obligations. The situation has escalated to the point where producers are now demanding upfront payments and assurances of timely payments for their livestock. Following an urgent meeting held last Thursday between Meatco’s management and directors and livestock producers, a written document outlining their demands was submitted. Among the key demands in the document is the requirement for Meatco to settle all outstanding payments promptly and…

22 Nov

Investigation launched into illicit sale of fuel supply licenses

ObserverNational NewsInvestigation launched into illicit sale of fuel supply licenses

Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Mines and Energy has initiated an investigation into the illicit sale of fuel supply licenses, as concerns mount over the unauthorised marketing of fuel licenses and fuel products at unregulated prices on social media platforms. Brian Eiseb, the Acting Executive Director of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, expressed deep concern about the increasing number of advertisements offering wholesale fuel licenses, retail fuel licenses, and fuel at non-gazetted prices. “These advertisements often originate from individuals or institutions lacking the necessary licensing authority,” he said. Eiseb cautioned the public that engaging in the trade of fuel…