National News – Page 273 – Windhoek Observer

26 Jul

New police station costs N$71 million

ObserverNational NewsLieutenant General Joseph Shikongo, New police station costs N$71 million

Stefanus Nashama The Namibian Police have spent over N$71 million on the construction of a new police station in Onkumbula in the Oshikoto Region. Speaking at the official opening of the Onkumbula police station on Monday, the Inspector-General of the Namibian Police Force, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo, said the construction work of the station was finalized at the cost of over N$71 million. Shikongo yesterday told the Windhoek Observer that the funds were provided by the central government through the budget allocated to the Namibian Police. The police chief said many projects in the Oshikoto Region to build new police…

26 Jul

Namibia needs a fit-for-purpose public service

ObserverNational NewsBank of Namibia’s Deputy Governor, Ebson Uanguta, Namibia needs a fit-for-purpose public service

Martin Endjala For Namibia to capitalize on economic opportunities, it will need a fit-for-purpose public service or else economic development can be severely hampered by the absence of an able and capable public service. Ebson Uanguta, the Bank of Namibia’s Deputy Governor during the celebration of the 2023 Africa Public Service Day in Katima Mulilo said: “My plea to all of us here today is to do everything necessary to ensure that poor quality public services are not the reason why we look back 30 years from today and regret that Namibia did not sufficiently capitalise on these once-in-a-lifetime economic…

26 Jul

Helicopter crash: Nauhaus remanded in custody

ObserverNational NewsAntje Nauhaus, Helicopter crash: Nauhaus remanded in custody

Niël Terblanché More charges were levelled against Antje Nauhaus, the 34-year-old woman that was arrested on Sunday in Swakopmund in connection with the deadly helicopter crash which cost the lives of two men. Besides facing charges of forgery, fraud, utterance and various charges related to the violation of the Namibian Civil Aviation Act, Nauhaus was also charged with culpable homicide. Nauhaus, who up until her arrest was an employee of Namibia Base Aviation, made her first appearance before Swakopmund Magistrate Nelao Brown and was formally informed about the charges against her. She stands accused of unlawfully and intentionally providing a…

25 Jul

A Mother’s labour horrors at Katutura Hospital

ObserverNational NewsA Mother’s labour horrors at Katutura Hospital, Anna Timoteus

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Anna Timoteus, 24, asserts that the staff at the maternity ward at Katutura Hospital mistreated and victimised her while she was in labour and after she lost her three-day-old baby. Timoteus who went into labour on 7 June, gave birth on 9 June 2023. However, her son, who was born with hypoxic-ischaemicencephalopathy (HIE) and weighed 3.6 kilograms, passed away three days later. When a baby is born with HIE, their brain does not receive enough oxygen or blood flow. “My water broke around 20hOO on 7 June and called for an ambulance immediately. When I got to the…

25 Jul

Woman arrested in connection with deadly helicopter crash

ObserverNational Newsa Robinson R44 helicopter, f Namibia’s Civil Aviation Act, r Kauna Shikwambi, Woman arrested in connection with deadly helicopter crash

Niël Terblanché Forged documents and various other violations of Namibia’s Civil Aviation Act could have led to the tragic deaths of two men during a helicopter crash on the outskirts of Swakopmund a little more than a week ago. On Sunday, the Namibian Police has taken a 34-year-old woman, who is employed by Namibia Base Aviation, into custody and by late yesterday afternoon were still busy formulating charges relevant to her alleged criminal deeds. The arrest was confirmed by Inspector Ileni Shapumba, the head of the Community Affairs Division of the Namibian Police in the Erongo Region. The tragic crash…

25 Jul

Ministry endorses Oil and Gas Conference

ObserverNational NewsChairperson of EAN, Jason Kasuto, Ministry endorses Oil and Gas Conference, MME, Tom Alweendo

Niël Terblanché Namibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) has officially endorsed the premier presentation of the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference slated for mid-August 2023. The much-awaited event is scheduled to take place on 16 and 17 August in Windhoek. The Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo expressed his support for the conference in a letter written to the organisers of the event. “The Namibia Oil and Gas Conference 2023 holds great promise for fostering dialogue and collaboration among key stakeholders in Namibia and the international oil and gas value chain,” Alweendo said. The minister also promised that…

25 Jul

A review of the Labour law is long overdue

ObserverNational NewsA review of the Labour law is long overdue, Paul Situmba

Martin Endjala The Mine Workers Union of Namibia Assistant Secretary, Paul Situmba says as much as he wants to be excited about the review of the Labour Law, he lamented the length of time that the process is taking. Situmba said while the review is underway, workers continue to suffer in their workplaces while the review keeps going on and never concludes. “It is long overdue. They have dragged on with the review for years now. When are they going to conclude so that we can finally see the law addressing some of these shortcomings? I have even lost the…

25 Jul

Omuthiya Town Council resolves the water crisis in Kaniita Location

ObserverNational NewsKaniita location in Omuthiya Town, Omuthiya Town Council resolves the water crisis in Kaniita Location

Stefanus Nashama Following an outcry from the residents of the Kaniita location in Omuthiya Town, the Council on Sunday met with the community residents to discuss the current water supply crisis and find amicable solutions to have the service restored. Omuthiya Mayor, John Ndeutepo, stated that the Council leadership resolved to provide the residents with new communal water meters free of charge and that the water charges will be discounted to be affordable for all residents. He indicated that the council will charge N$1.00 per 20-litre container. He further indicated that residents, who own plots at the Kaniita location with…

25 Jul

Giant engines will drive up generation capacity

ObserverNational NewsAnixas Power Station, Giant engines will drive up generation capacity

Niël Terblanché Three giant diesel-powered engines that will be used to generate electricity at the Anixas Power Station in Walvis Bay arrived at the port at the start of the past weekend. The engines along with generators will be used in the new Anixas II development of the power station currently under construction. According to Simson Haulofu, the Managing Director of NamPower, the three engines and their generator units have a combined generation capacity of 54 Mega Watt. The engines can be powered by either diesel or natural gas and along with the older equipment already installed will generate a…

24 Jul

Private-funded students owing NUST blocked from registering

ObserverNational NewsPrivate-funded students owing NUST blocked from registering

Disgruntled self-funded Students owing the Namibia University of Science and Technology(NUST) say the university is failing them after they have been blocked from registering for second semester, saying that the university refuses to listen to their pleas. The university blocked students from registering due to outstanding debts incurred during the previous semester. The institute demands that outstanding debt must be settled before students will be allowed to register for the second semester. Several students have expressed concerns about their future at the institution because they are unable to settle their debts. Maria Amutenya, a student who is self-funded said that…