National News – Page 389 – Windhoek Observer

05 Sep

German government reveals Namibia determined with Joint Declaration

ObserverNational Newse German parliamentarians, Federal Republic of Germany, German government reveals Namibia determined with Joint Declaration, Sevim Dagdelen

Staff Writer IT is transpiring that a technical team of experts of the government of the Federal Republic of Germany, which was in the country in March, and which met its Namibian counterpart, was here to work out the modalities of implementing the Joint Declaration (JD). The behind the scenes manoevres by the government of Namibian and its German counterpart to go ahead with the implementation of the Joint Declaration has been revealed from answers which the German government has provided to questions termed as “minor” posed by German parliamentarian, Sevim Dagdelen and the parliamentary group of Die Linke, which…

05 Sep

EIF brings water relief to three communal farms

ObserverNational NewsEIF brings water relief to three communal farms, Erongo Region in the Daures Constituency, Sustainable Development Goal 6

Martin Endjala Three communal farms in the Erongo Region in the Daures Constituency received three mini-desalination units using reverse osmosis to purify water worth N$1 million from the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF). Vrede, Goeiegeluk Pos and Santamab Pos are among the three communal farms benefiting. The Erongo region Governor Andre Neville has reiterated that access to clean water is not only a basic need of mankind, but a necessity to sustain all forms of life in the world. “It is often quite easily forgotten how completely we depend on it. Human survival is dependent on Water,” the governor explained. Water…

02 Sep

Opposition not offering alternatives

ObserverNational NewsMcHenry Venaani, Namcor MD Immanuel Mulunga, Ndumba Kamwenyah, Opposition not offering alternatives

Martin Endjala The Namibian government has been advised not to ignore good policy alternatives offered by the opposition, while the latter has also been urged to formulate alternative policies rather than just always condemning government decisions. UNAM political science professor and analyst Ndumba Kamwenyah said that a recent appeal letter by the Popular Democratic Movement leader McHenry Venaani’s to the Head of State, Hage Geingob, imploring the government to introduce innovative policy measures to affect economic rejuvenation is a case in point. In the letter Venaani said that he is of the view that bold policy measures and innovative financing…

02 Sep

Geingob denies rift

ObserverNational NewsDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Nandi-Ndaitwah, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah

Staff Writer Swapo party President Hage Geingob has again denied continues news reports of a rift between himself and the vice president of the Party, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, ahead of the November congress. This comes after allegation that Nandi-Ndaitwah has been omitted from traveling delegations on many of Geingob’s official international trips this year. “There is simply no truth in the allegation of fallout between the two leaders. President Geingob believes in leadership that is collegial and consultative, with a healthy balance of horizontal and vertical decision making. In fact, President…

02 Sep

Zambezi braces for a thirsty weekend

ObserverNational NewsJoseph Mulisa, Zambezi braces for a thirsty weekend

Obrein Simasiku Residents of the Zambezi region are bracing for a thirsty weekend, as taps will run dry due to a planned major maintenance on the water reticulation system in the region. In a notice, Namwater’s head in Zambezi, Joseph Mulisa said there will be a total shutdown of Katima Mulilo’s water treatment plant. ‘’In its quest to supply water of good quality and sustainably to its valued customers and communities of the Zambezi region, Namwater has embarked on a project to change and install a new sustainable sump at our distribution pump station. This project will be done in…

02 Sep

TransNamib wage dispute resolved

ObserverNational NewsTransNamib and Namibia Transport and Allied Workers Union (Natau), TransNamib wage dispute resolved

O’Brien Simasiku The national rail operator TransNamib and Namibia Transport and Allied Workers Union (Natau) have agreed on a wage review and also concluded to work together in generating N$45 million on average each month, as a means to avert some of the carrier’s financial headaches. Employees have been on a strike for two weeks after they voted to engage in an industrial action when wage negotiations deadlocked. The parties today however agreed to increase the salary of employees in A-Band by 5.5%, B-Band 4.5% and C-Band 3.5%, and a further N$100 on transport, which will adjust the current N$542…

01 Sep

NUST, UNAM in million dollar fight

ObserverNational NewsJohn Haufiku, Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST) and University of Namibia (UNAM), NUST, UNAM in million dollar fight

Tujoromajo Kasuto The Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST) and University of Namibia (UNAM) are in an expensive tug of war over a prospective staff member offering packages of more than N$1 million each.Current UNAM spokesperson, John Haufiku, has been offered a position at NUST as the Director of Marketing and Communications. According to internal sources, the benefits of the position is said to be up to N$1.4 million per annum. However, UNAM has made a counter offer, and it remains unclear whether Haufiku has accepted the offer or not. This offer has rubbed some staff members up the…

01 Sep

Kawana calls on public to surrender unwanted firearms

ObserverNational NewsAfrican Union in the commemoration of Amnesty Month, Kawana calls on public to surrender unwanted firearms

Martin Endjala Namibia will join other members of the African Union in the commemoration of Amnesty Month, and therefore has called on the public again to surrender all illegal and unwanted firearms, ammunition and related materials in their possession between the 1st and the 30th of September. The Minister stressed that Government underscores its commitment to the AU Agenda 2063 aspiration silencing the guns and for a peaceful and secure Africa. He highlighted that the Cabinet has endorsed the month of September as Amnesty Month, during which the public can surrender weapons, ammunitions and armaments without any fear of prosecution.…

01 Sep

EIF continues to strengthen its collaborative chain

ObserverNational NewsEIF continues to strengthen its collaborative chain, Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF), Lot Ndahmanomhata

Martin Endjala The Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF) continues to grow and strengthen its stakeholder collaboration despite mounting economic challenges facing the country. The fund was established in 2001 by an Act of Parliament and started its operations in 2011. EIF started accessing funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) in 2016 and has to date seen the approval of four GCF projects, for a total funding amount of nearly 40 million US dollars. The EIF became one of the first institutions to access the GCF through the “direct access” modality, whereby developing country institutions can access funds without…

31 Aug

Old Mutual settles with Competition Commission

ObserverNational NewsOld Mutual Short-Term Insurance Company (OMSIC), OMSIC

Staff Writer Old Mutual Short-Term Insurance Company (OMSIC) has become the latest short term insurer to have entered into settlement agreement with the Namibian Competition Commission over price fixing. The short term insurance giant together with six other major short term insurance companies were investigated and found to have been involved in collusive behaviour. The insurance companies are Santam Namibia, Alexander Forbes Insurance Company, Hollard Insurance Company, Old Mutual Short-Term Insurance Company, Outsurance Insurance Company of Namibia, Phoenix Assurance Namibia and Momentum Short-Term Insurance. Santam and Hollard have admitted already in 2019 that they engaged in ‘’unintended contravention’’ of the…