National News – Page 341 – Windhoek Observer

11 Apr

Transport company renovates police facilities

ObserverNational News

Niël Terblanché The work or at least the administrative work of the Namibian Police’s Explosives Control Division will be made a lot easier after some renovations were done to the administrative building of the unit. The cost of the renovation work was carried by the FP du Toit transport group and a special ceremony was held to hand over the freshly renovated offices to the commander and members of the unit. The Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of FP du Toit Group, Stephan Terblanche officially handed over the renovated offices of the Explosives Control Division while the Deputy Inspector…

11 Apr

Green hydrogen plant gets the go ahead

ObserverNational News

Niël Terblanché The manufacturing of green hydrogen at Namibia’s main port is one step closer to becoming a reality, with a recent ordinary meeting at the Walvis Bay Town Council Council recommending that 24 hectares of Portion 8 on Farm 58 be leased to the applicant, Cleanergy Namibia (Pty) Ltd for a period of 25 years. The lease, according to the minutes of the meeting, would also be extended for a further period as agreed upon between the Walvis Bay Municipality and Cleanergy Namibia for the purpose of construction and operation of a Hydrogen Pilot Plant. It was also recommended…

06 Apr

Itula deems Namibia’s reliance’on foreign expertise risky

ObserverNational NewsItula deems Namibia’s reliance’on foreign expertise risky

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Independent Patriots for Change Leader, Panduleni Itula yesterday said it is risky for Namibia to depend on foreign expertise. He said this during the daily Windhoek Observer live broadcast, in which he further added that the country’s dependence on foreigners and their skills is an indication of a failing government. “Our reliance on foreign skills is extremely dangerous. It is not only denying young people employment, but it is also denying us the necessary revenue that we need to put in our coffers for which we can extract revenue for our essential services. It is absolutely embarrassing,” he…

06 Apr

Nangolo ropes in Namandje to save her job

ObserverNational NewsNamibia’s Minister of Justice, Only five percent of Namibians can afford legal costs, Yvonne Dausab

Niël Terblanché Yvonne Dausab, Namibia’s Minister of Justice will have her decision to withdraw Eva Nangolo’s appointment as Legal Aid Counsel challenged by prominent Lawyer Sisa Namandje Nangolo, who finds herself in the midst of a tribal slur fiasco has roped in the high-powered lawyer’s help to challenge the justice Minister’s decision about her future at the Directorate of Legal Aid. In a letter addressed to the justice minister, Namandje states that his office received urgent instructions from their client to advise on the validity of the decision she took on the 4 April 2023 without giving his client an…

06 Apr

More Fishermen facing retrenchments

ObserverNational NewsManaging Director of Etosha Fishing, More Fishermen facing retrenchments, Volker Paulsmeier

Niël Terblanché The moratorium that has been placed on the harvesting of pilchards in Namibian waters has again left hundreds of fishermen from Walvis Bay with the bleak prospect of unemployment. The Managing Director of Etosha Fishing, Volker Paulsmeier, in a short statement, acknowledged that the company has given the Labour Commissioner a formal notice about the company’s intent to lay off 30 permanent and 420 seasonal workers. “The company has given notice to the Labour Commissioner on the 31st March 2023 of its intention to terminate contracts due to operational requirements as is required by the Labour Act (Act…

06 Apr

Learner’s woes discussed at Ministerial level

ObserverNational NewsLearner’s woes discussed at Ministerial level, Moses Nghitotelwa

Stefanus Nashama Moses Nghitotelwa, a learner at the Oshikunde Combined School, who complained about walking long distances to attend classes on an empty stomach, will possibly be allowed to stay in the hostel facility, after education authorities took up the matter. The Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, Anna Nghipondoka said Nghitotelwa should approach the Regional Education Director to help him find accommodation in the hostel, rather than walking 14 kilometres per day to attend classes. Nghitotelwa(19) however says he was left with no choice but to walk seven kilometres from his home in the Omhito village to the school…

06 Apr

Namcor board suspends Mulunga with benefits

ObserverNational NewsNamcor board suspends Mulunga with benefits

Niël Terblanché Immanuel Mulunga, the Managing Director of the National Petroleum Corporation, has been suspended by the state-owned company’s board of directors. In a statement released yesterday, the board said that the suspension is effective 4 April 2023. “We wish to inform our stakeholders that the board has resolved to place our Managing Director, Immanuel Mulunga, on suspension with immediate effect pending an investigation,” the board said. Following Mulunga’s suspension, the board has elected and appointed Lionel Matthews as Acting Managing Director for an initial period of six months. He is the current Financial Manager in the Ministry of Finance.…

05 Apr

State House maintenance conundrum

ObserverNational NewsDemocratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), George Simataa, State House maintenance conundrum

Niël Terblanché Allegations that the Namibian Cabinet has had to find an alternative venue for its regular meetings because of a situation of disrepair at State House as a result of international sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) have been disparaged by a variety of officials. A North Korean company was responsible for the renovation of State House and it is alleged that the sanction package aimed at the country and its businesses is causing difficulties at the Office of the Presidency. The sanction package was originally initiated by the United Sates of America and their allies…

05 Apr

PDM displeased with government’s high operational budgets

ObserverNational NewsMaximalliant Katjimune, PDM displeased with government’s high operational budgets

Martin Endjala Popular Democratic Movement Member of Parliament, Maximalliant Katjimune is disenchanted with the government’s high operational expenditure over the development budget, citing that this practice is one of the main contributing factors to youth unemployment in the country. “The operational expenses are always more than the developmental budget. How are we going to achieve tangible development if in all sectors of the operational expenditure always far exceeds the development budget?” he asked. Katjimune said it is high time that government starts looking at reducing the operational budgets in all ministries, given the fact that most of the operational budgets…

05 Apr

Rundu Councillor worried about delayed constituency funding

ObserverNational NewsMinistry of Urban and Rural Development, Paulus Mbangu, The Rundu Councillor in the Kavango East Region

Martin Endjala The Rundu Councillor in the Kavango East Region, Paulus Mbangu, has expressed concern about the delayed Regional and Constituency Fund Bill which he says has halted projects and the development of the constituency. “We need the finalisation of the bill in order to carry out projects and develop our constituencies. The constituencies had drastic budget cuts last year which have left many of us operating with almost nothing in the coffers”, Mbangu explained. Last year’s proposed budget allocation for the Kavango East Region is estimated to be around N$100 million, but it only received about N$60 million. This,…