National News – Page 365 – Windhoek Observer

23 Jan

Locals make up 33 % of hospitality establishment visits in 2022

ObserverNational NewsHospitality Association of Namibia (HAN), Locals make up 33 % of hospitality establishment visits in 2022

Tujoromajo Kasuto Occupancy rates at countrywide hospitality establishments were at 37.9 percent in December 2022, compared to 45.8 percent the previous month, bringing the yearly average to 40.1 percent in 2022. This is about double the yearly average in 2021 and has reached around 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels since June 2022. According to the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN), Namibians would account for about 51 percent of all customers at statewide hospitality enterprises in 2021. This percentage fell to around 33 percent in 2022, indicating an improvement in global travel since 2022 was relatively free of covid rules and…

23 Jan

EIF to establish a financing facility to support agriculture

ObserverNational NewsEIF to establish a financing facility to support agriculture, Green Climate Fund (GCF)

Martin Endjala The Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF) plans to establish a sustainable financing facility that supports value chains and market penetration of agricultural production. This is to enhance long term adaptation capacities within the peri-urban environments. The submission of this project is said to have been submitted at the Green Climate Fund (GCF) programme consultations which kicked off on the 18 January 2023, at the Windhoek Country Club and Resort with various stakeholders. The signing of the Accreditation Master Agreement (AMA) with the GCF in Songdo, South Korea on the 15th of September 2022 between the GCF and…

23 Jan

Agronomic Board forecasts 62% shortages in horticulture products

ObserverNational NewsAgronomic Board forecasts 62% shortages in horticulture products

Tujoromajo Kasuto The Namibia Agronomic Board (NAB) has forecasted a 62 percent shortage in horticultural products it analyses, where more severe shortages are expected for lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, carrots, onions, potatoes, cabbage and butternuts between January and May 2023. This comes as crop farming production forecasts look bleak for the first quarter of 2023 following the latest field verification exercise conducted by the Board. Only the forecasted tonnage for green peppers and colour peppers production is expected to be sufficient in meeting local demand and their forecasted tonnage is estimated to place them as the top soft commodities…

23 Jan

Education Ministry revises budgetary allocations to mitigate education quality

ObserverNational NewsEducation Ministry revises budgetary allocations to mitigate education quality, National Conference on Education (NCE), Sanet Steenkamp

Tujoromajo Kasuto Sanet Steenkamp, executive director of the Ministry of Education, Arts, and Culture, states In terms of what can be done to improve the quality of public schools, the Ministry has resolved to introduce targeted funding for the monitoring, evaluation, rehabilitation and construction of appropriate and adequate education physical facilities, including funding for temporal structures. Furthermore, to increase budgetary allocation for the procurement of teaching and learning resources physical and human. “With the support from Institutions of Higher Learning and other stakeholders, the Ministry will introduce targeted funding for continuous professional development for teachers’ in-service, as well as targeted…

23 Jan

NYS says payment of salaries not due to protest pressure

ObserverNational Newsbut that plans to pay workers’ salaries was already in the process., Felix Musukubili, The National Youth Service said that the payment of its employees’ salaries was not paid due to the pressure of the protests

Martin Endjala The National Youth Service said that the payment of its employees’ salaries was not paid due to the pressure of the protests, but that plans to pay workers’ salaries was already in the process. “It should be noted that the guards’ salaries were not paid as a result of the guards illegal industrial action, nor did YSS deliberately withhold the guards salaries as alleged and speculated. The salaries were paid on receipt of payment of invoices by the clients, which in any event would have been paid on the 18thJanuary, hence the unfortunate delay”. These were the remarks…

23 Jan

Poacher killed during shootout

ObserverNational Newsm Romeo Muyunda, Poacher killed during shootout

Staff writer A suspected poacher died last Saturday and another one seriously injured during a shootout with members of the Namibian Wildlife Protection. Meanwhile, another suspect, aged 27 was arrested today. It is alleged that the poachers were in pursuit of a rhino cow and small calf at farm Okarakua, Windhoek district. Spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Romeo Muyunda said this is the first poaching incident of the year however it was unfortunate a life was lost. “Its unfortunate that a person lost his life. We commend the team that was involved, for their work in…

Opposition parties call for withdrawal<br>of tender to supply condoms

20 Jan

Opposition parties call for withdrawal
of tender to supply condoms

ObserverNational NewsOpposition parties call for withdrawal of tender to supply condoms, Shapwa Kanyama

Martin Endjala Opposition parties have come out strongly to condemn the tender awarded by the Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) to a company, owned by Shapwa Kanyama, to supply condoms amongst other things. It is reported that Kanyama’s company got the tender, despite bidding N$ 265.8 million more than the next highest bidder. The private owned company Amnics Trading, won three lucrative medical supply tenders, which includes the supply of surgical gloves and condoms worth N$650 million. The said company previously owned by a Taiwanese born South African National and Zimbabwean, now owned by well known Kanyama, will supply…

20 Jan

Shaningwa refutes “instructions to free Indians” rumor

ObserverNational NewsAli Ndhalalni, Shaningwa refutes “instructions to free Indians” rumor

Staff Writer Sophia Shaningwa, the Secretary General of Swapo, has refuted accusations made by the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) that Ali Dharani, the Director of the Rani Group of Companies, gave her orders to free detained Indian and Angolan nationals. “How could I order for them to be released? It is all nonsense and you were supposed to tell them yourself because firstly I don’t even work for the Ministry of Home Affairs and i am not the minister to run immigration affairs. Where does SWAPO secretary General come in this story?,” said Shaningwa. The foreign nationals were allegedly…

20 Jan

Vehicle affordability to remain on an upward trajectory for 2023

ObserverNational NewsTheo Klein, Vehicle affordability to remain on an upward trajectory for 2023

Tujoromajo Kasuto Simonis Storm Securities has hinted that vehicle sales are likely to stay on an upward trajectory as commodity prices continue to fall until mid-2023, and the supply of new vehicles from foreign factories should increase beginning in mid-2023, along with ongoing spending momentum from last year. According to Theo Klein, the firm’s Economist, commercial cars in particular should experience increased sales due to favourable mining and transportation sector development estimates for 2023, as well as the installation of green hydrogen projects along the coast. He predicted that shipping costs would continue to fall as the Rand strengthened as…

19 Jan

BoN sets limit on board tenures, age limits for Directors

ObserverNational Newsage limits for Directors, BoN sets limit on board tenures

A limit on the number of boards an individual can serve has now been passed by the Bank of Namibia, and the age limit for independent Directors and Chairpersons is 70, an announcement was made today. The bank today announced it has issued a revamped Determination on the Appointment, Duties, and Responsibilities of Directors, Principal Officers, and Executive Officers of Banking Institutions and Controlling Companies to improve the corporate governance of banking institutions. The central Bank’s Director for Strategic Communications and International Relations Kazembire Zemburuka said it’s the first time the bank has set limits on the number of years…