National News – Page 281 – Windhoek Observer

10 Jul

New drug commission must protect communities

ObserverNational NewsNew drug commission must protect communities

Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) has inaugurated a new National Drug Control Commission (NDCC). Namibia ratified and acceded to the UN Convention against Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 in 2009. Namibia also joined the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, as well as the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971. Dr Kalumbi Shangula, the Minister of Health and Social Services, during the inauguration of the commission, said that Namibia had experienced an increase in the usage of illicit drugs since 2021. He mentioned that cannabis is the most commonly…

07 Jul

NSFAF management grilled over ‘wasted’ N$15 million

ObserverNational NewsNSFAF management grilled over ‘wasted’ N$15 million

Stefanus Nashama The Namibia Students Financial Assistant Fund (NSFAF) said it paid a total N$15 million to Onecall Solutions, a company that failed to deliver services to the fund for a period of four years. Appearing before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts yesterday, NSFAF’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Kennedy Kandume said upon investigating, it was found that OneCall Solutions was failing to deliver as per the agreement. Kandume who became the Acting CEO of NSFAF in April 2018 said they paid the company and had to terminate the contract with the company after it had failed to honour…

07 Jul

Calls for Amushelelo’s release increase

ObserverNational News

Stefanus Nashama Calls for the immediate release of arrested activist and member of Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEEF), Michael Amushelelo have gradually increased on social media, with many young people warning of another mass action at national level. Many young people expressed that they are uncomfortable with the way the Magistrate Court is handling and dealing with Amushelelos’ criminal cases. According to social media comments associated with the call for Amushelelo’s immediate release, the youth believe that Amushelelo’s continued incarceration is a ‘planned hidden agenda’ that prevents him from opening the public’s eyes to the many things he knows while…

07 Jul

Over 100 000 stateless people live in Namibia

ObserverNational NewsOver 100 000 stateless people live in Namibia

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Namibian Government estimates that there are at least 141 048 stateless and undocumented people residing in Namibia. This was revealed by the Minster of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security, Albert Kawana this week during the tenth Cabinet decisions announcement, where the executive body approved four bills for the regularization of the status of stateless and undocumented people in Namibia. Currently, the country does not have a law that deals with stateless individuals.The Namibian citizenship amendment bill, regularization of the status of certain residents of Namibia and their descendants’ bill, and statelessness determination and protection bill have…

07 Jul

Empowering women through fishery operations

ObserverNational NewsEmpowering women through fishery operations

Niël Terblanché In an effort to address gender disparities and promote women’s empowerment within the small-scale fisheries sector in Namibia, a pioneering training workshop was held under the banner “Achieving Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Small-Scale Fisheries.” The workshop was hosted in Mariental three days and saw the attendance of 23 women, including fisherwomen, fish processors, and fish traders from across Namibia’s 14 regions. The attendees are members of the Namibia Women’s Fisheries Network (NAMFISHNET). NAMFISHNET is a non-governmental organisation that is independent of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Fisheries…

07 Jul

Olufuko festival kicks off with a bang

ObserverNational NewsOlufuko festival kicks off with a bang

Martin Endjala Founding President Sam Nujoma has called on Namibians to uphold their culture and never abandon their values to simply conform to Western cultures. “We must learn from our past to inform our future because a nation without culture is like a tree without roots,” he said. He said that Namibians should resolve, among other things, to preserve their history, and write the country’s present account. The Founding Father also advocated for the erasure of distortions about the African people from the literature. “We should do historical research, interpret and record the historical and contemporary knowledge into new conceptions…

07 Jul

Covid-19 burials torment Kavango East Regional Council

ObserverNational NewsCovid-19 burials torment Kavango East Regional Council

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Kavango East Regional Council has been dragged to court by a construction company that dug graves that were to be utilized for burial by persons whose loved ones succumbed to the Covid-19 virus. WFA Construction CC is claiming that the Regional Council owes them a total N$641 820 for the rental and use of a Tractor-Loader Backhoe (TLB), for the digging of the graves, and the rental and use of a bulldozer for the clearing and cleaning of 20 hectares of land in September 2020. According to documents filed at the Windhoek High Court, the Regional Council…

07 Jul

Elevated prices and interest rates weigh on private consumption

ObserverNational NewsElevated prices and interest rates weigh on private consumption

Martin Endjala Namibians have not been spared by the rapidly rising inflation and interest rates experienced across the globe over the past year and a half. Undue pressure on disposable incomes has raised concerns about household consumption dynamics. “Weakening household consumption spending bodes ill for overall economic growth as consumer spending constitutes 78 percent of GDP,” economist,”Economist Ruusa Nandago said. Nandago says weaker consumer spending is expected to persist based on various economic indicators such as elevated inflation and interest rates, high unsecured credit uptake growth, high levels of indebtedness and residential property weakness. Nandago pointed out that the 2022…

07 Jul

East wind causes scorching weather

ObserverNational News

Niël Terblanché Temperatures as high as 30 degrees Celsius have been measured in towns of Namibia’s central and southern coastal areas on Thursday as the first real east wind conditions descended from highlands in the interior. Motorists travelling between the main coastal towns had to take caution as dust clouds enveloped large areas and brought visibility on the road, causing possible hazardous driving conditions. Wind speeds as high as 40 kilometres per hour have been reported along the coast while dust clouds enveloped the neighbourhoods facing the Namib Desert. East weather or bergwind conditions are caused by air moving down…

06 Jul

Kapofi admits that some veterans are suffering….promises to do better

ObserverNational NewsKapofi admits that some veterans are suffering….promises to do better

Stefanus Nashama Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister, Frans Kapofi has admitted that a number of war veterans are still languishing in poverty as their status is yet to be recognized by the government. Kapofi, in an exclusive interview with this publication said that war veterans living in challenging conditions will be attended to by the government, but that it may time some time, as the government has many other responsibilities to attend to. “We therefore cannot finish all veteran claims in one go. The government will assist, but if what the government is offering is not enough for them, then…