National News – Page 220 – Windhoek Observer

13 Nov

Namibia’s economic problems are far from over

ObserverNational NewsNamibia’s economic problems are far from over

Martin Endjala Popular Democratic Movement parliamentary member Nico Smit says that Namibia’s economic problems are far from over, hence he calls on his parliamentary counterparts to take care of fundamental problems of the country to avoid going back to square one. “The economic performance of the past two years makes it appear that we have overcome all the problems but that is far from the truth. The underlying trouble is still there, and as I will indicate later, the current uptick will not last. If we do not take care of the fundamental problems in our economy, in another two…

13 Nov

Cabinet approves revised national housing policy and implementation action plan

ObserverNational News

Martin Endjala The Cabinet has approved the revised National Housing Policy and Implementation Action Plan and related estimated financial implications to enable improved access to housing, and inclusive and sustainable economic development. This was announced last week Thursday by the Cabinet spokesperson and Information Communications and Technology Minister Peya Mushelenga, following the Cabinet Decision during its 19th Decision-making meeting on 7 November 2023 in Windhoek. Mushelenge said that the cabinet further endorsed the mechanisms contained in the revised policy to ensure the optimal attainment of its objectives. These mechanisms have a special focus on nationwide upgrading of informal settlements and…

13 Nov

Paratus secures funding for a new data centre in Africa

ObserverNational NewsParatus secures funding for a new data centre in Africa

Staff Writer Namibian-owned Pan-African firm Paratus has secured a major debt facility to accelerate the company’s growth in digital infrastructure across Africa. Paratus has obtained a N600 million debt facility from the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF), a member of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), and its fund manager, Ninety One. The financial injection is earmarked for expanding Paratus’ fibre and data centre operations over the next three years. The funds are set to facilitate the construction of a state-of-the-art 10MW data centre in Angola. Additionally, they will support the development of three new fibre routes, connecting strategic locations…

13 Nov

Geingob remembers Doëseb as a patriot, hero, and Swapo cadre

ObserverNational Newsand Swapo cadre, Geingob remembers Doëseb as a patriot, hero

Stefanus Nashama Hage Geingob, the Head of State and President of Namibia, fondly remembers the late Axali Jakobus Doëseb as a patriot, hero, and dedicated Swapo cadre who used his musical talents to contribute to the cause of self-determination and freedom for Namibia. During a speech delivered at the state memorial service held last week in Windhoek, President Geingob highlighted that Doëseb’s calling in life was not to be a soldier on the battlefield, a diplomat, or a skilled politician. Instead, his true calling lay in the world of arts, particularly in music. Geingob praised Doëseb as a master craftsman…

10 Nov

City reveals debt write-off plans for qualifying residents

ObserverNational News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The City of Windhoek (CoW) has disclosed that it is finalising a submission to the council for a debt write-off program for qualifying debt-stricken residents. Mayor, Joseph Uapingene, at the ordinary council meeting this week said that as of 31 October 2023, the city has accrued debt of N$1.2 billion. Uapingene said the city sees the initiative as a step in alleviating financial burdens and aiding residents. “We believe that our work around this will conclude before the end of the year, and I regard this as a vital step towards alleviating financial burdens and helping our residents…

10 Nov

CBIG beneficiaries cautioned against Swapo’s vote-garnering tricks

ObserverNational NewsCBIG beneficiaries cautioned against Swapo’s vote-garnering tricks

Martin Endjala Conditional Basic Income Grant (CBIG) beneficiaries have been cautioned not to fall into the trap of the Swapo Party’s attempts to garner votes for the 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections. The Rally for Democracy Progress’s (RDP) Secretary General, Kennedy Shekupakela, who is also a Member of Parliament, stated that this is a desperate attempt, by the incumbent government to convince Namibians to vote for them, while the programme in itself is not sustainable. “This is a desperate attempt to secure votes for 2024. The sorry part of it is that our people in the villages will fall…

10 Nov

Geingob travels to Finland for Ahtisaari funeral

ObserverNational NewsGeingob travels to Finland for Ahtisaari funeral

Niël Terblanché President Hage Geingob of Namibia embarked on a solemn journey to Finland to attend the State Funeral of the former President of Finland, Martti Ahtisaari, who passed away recently. Ahtisaari’s relationship with Namibia dates back to his tenure as Ambassador of Finland to Tanzania. In 1975, he was appointed as a senator to the Council of the United Nations Institute for Namibia (UNIN), a position that eventually led to his appointment as Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Namibia in 1978 by then-United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim. In 1989, the United Nations Secretary-General appointed Ahtisaari to lead the…

10 Nov

Maternity leave pay requires actual evaluation: Nujoma

ObserverNational NewsMaternity leave pay requires actual evaluation: Nujoma

Stefanus Nashama The Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation, Utoni Nujoma in response to questions in Parliament, said the issue of full salary payments for women’s maternity leave requires an actual evaluation. Nujoma was responding to Popular Democratic Movement Member of Parliament, Winnie Moongo, who tabled a motion in September this year, to discuss the possibility of increasing the amount payable in respect of maternity leave. This, she said includes paying women their full salaries and extending maternity leave days. In response, the Minister said that the Social Security Commission exists to protect insured working Namibians from loss…

10 Nov

Namibia set to become biosecurity hub

ObserverNational NewsNamibia set to become biosecurity hub

Niël Terblanché Namibia is set to redefine agricultural innovation with the establishment of a state-of-the-art AgriTech hub by Got Produce Global, a leader in agricultural technology. Situated just outside Swakopmund, the facility is poised to become a pivotal biosecurity seed bank and breeding centre, setting new benchmarks for the agricultural industry in the region. The inauguration of the Got Produce Global innovation hub marks a significant milestone in agricultural research and development. The hub will concentrate on pioneering crop production methods, extensive crop variety assessments, and specialized training programs in hydroponics, equipping the local workforce with the skills necessary for…

10 Nov

Namibians should guard against cybercrimes during festive season

ObserverNational NewsNamibians should guard against cybercrimes during festive season

Martin Endjala Johann Van Rooyen, a Senior Technical Advisor at the Green Enterprise Solution has called on Namibian consumers to exercise a level of high alert amidst cybercrimes which often increase during the holiday season. He said the end of the year is filled with frantic shopping, Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and online shopping are the norm. Although in Namibia, most people still go to physical shops, there is a shift to shopping online, and this is where hackers see the window of opportunity. “As we approach the most wonderful time of the year, we start thinking about…