Observer Money

COVID-19 vaccine delivery shifts to March …as N$583m is budgeted
25 Feb

COVID-19 vaccine delivery shifts to March …as N$583m is budgeted

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Andrew Kathindi Government now expects the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is being procured under the COVAX Facility, only in March. This is a shift from a January communique with the COVAX Facility, which had informed Minister of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) , Kalumbi Shangula, that the vaccine should be expected in the country by the middle or end of this month. “The COVAX Facility allocated doses of vaccines to Namibia are expected in March 2021,” stated Shangula. The AstraZeneca vaccine, however, has been found to be ineffective against the new variant in South Africa. According to the Health minister, the…
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PwC not off the hook – PAAB . . . as firm drops August 26
24 Feb

PwC not off the hook – PAAB . . . as firm drops August 26

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Maria Hamutenya The Public Accounts and Auditor’s Board (PAAB) maintains that PwC Namibia is not off the hook over allegations made against it that it deliberately overlooked anomalies found during its audit of August 26. This is despite the international firm resigning recently as the auditor of August 26. “The resignation of an auditor does not impact the investigations into alleged misconduct with regards to August 26. Investigations will be done as long as the alleged misconduct occurred during the time when the registered and licenced auditor was in office,” PAAB Head of Secretariat, Zaa Nashandi, told Windhoek Observer. Whether…
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No request for de Klerk’s extradition . . . as trial looms
24 Feb

No request for de Klerk’s extradition . . . as trial looms

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Andrew Kathindi With less than two months before the Fishrot pre-trial in the High Court, Government is yet to begin the extradition process of lawyer Maren De Klerk, dubbed “paymaster” of millions of state funds from Fishcor. De Klerk, who has been indicted by the Prosecutor-General (PG), Martha Imalwa, has been in South Africa for over a year. Director of the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC), Paulus Noa, said the extradition process is initiated by the Ministry of Justice. But the Justice ministry Head of Legal Services responsible for extraditions, Simataa Lennon Limbo, denied this. “No request for Meren De Klerk lies…
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Nine shortlisted for Fishcor CEO post
23 Feb

Nine shortlisted for Fishcor CEO post

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Staff Writer National Fishing Corporation of Namibia (Fishcor) has announced it has shortlisted nine candidates for the vacant Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position and plans to appoint a candidate next month. The company has been operating without a substantive CEO since December 2019, following the suspension and subsequent arrest of Mike Nghipunya last February after being implicated in the Fishrot scandal, resulting in his employment termination last November. “The position was advertised in November and closed on the 27 November 2020. The Board is conscious that the CEO search process is not hastened nor slowed, taking into account the December…
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Namibia records 100 Covid-19 deaths in a month
23 Feb

Namibia records 100 Covid-19 deaths in a month

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Kandjemuni Kamuiiri Namibia’s COVID-19 death toll continues to grow at an exponential rate, with the country recording over 100 deaths in one month. Since the outbreak of the virus up to January 21, Namibia had recorded a total of 300 deaths. The country’s COVID-19 deaths have now surpassed the 400 mark according to the latest figures from the Health ministry, with a total of 406 deaths recorded. Over the last three days, the Health Ministry has announced seven COVID-19 related deaths. Minister of Health and Social Services, Kalumbi Shangula, said the four new deaths were recorded in Windhoek, Onamdjokwe Mariental…
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No new national airline on the horizon
23 Feb

No new national airline on the horizon

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Andrew Kathindi Public Enterprises Minister, Leon Jooste, has ruled out the establishment of another airline after the liquidation of Air Namibia. The pronouncement by the minister comes after a mass demonstration led by National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), which called for the reversal of Cabinet’s decision on the airline, and for the immediate removal of the State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) minister ended in failure after government reiterated its stance on the closure of Air Namibia. Jooste told Windhoek Observer, “At the moment, the answer is no. So of course, strategically in our normal planning, that's where the Director of…
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Health ministry rules out test for Chinese vaccine
19 Feb

Health ministry rules out test for Chinese vaccine

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Maria Hamutenya Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS) says no compatibility tests will be made on the donated Chinese vaccine, which is set to arrive in Namibia soon. This comes after the Chines Ambassador Zhang Yiming yesterday, (Thursday) announced that it will be donating 100 000 Covid-19 vaccine doses on the request of the Namibian government. Despite findings that another Covid-19 drug developed by AstraZeneca and also due to arrive in Namibia at the end of the month under the COVAX facility is less effective on the new Covid strain, the ministry’s Executive Director, Ben Nangombe, is adamant there…
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Government stands firm on Air Namibia liquidation
19 Feb

Government stands firm on Air Namibia liquidation

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Andrew Kathindi The Government is not backing down from its decision to voluntarily liquidate Air Namibia, after Finance Minister, Iipumbi Shiimi, yesterday (Thursday) defended government’s stance on the matter. “At this stage, the country’s economy can no longer afford to perpetually provide financial support to Air Namibia at the expense of supporting economic growth and critical social services. It is, therefore, with that consideration that government took a decision to file for the voluntary liquidation of Air Namibia,” said the Finance minister. This comes as Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa was also quoted by the local media saying government will not…
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BoN maintains Repo rate unchanged
18 Feb

BoN maintains Repo rate unchanged

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Staff Writer The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of Namibia (BoN) resolved to keep the repo rate unchanged at 3.75 percent, Governor Johannes !Gawaxab, announced yesterday, on Wednesday. “The MPC is of the view that the rate remains appropriate to continue supporting domestic economic activity, while at the same time safeguarding the one-to-one link between the Namibia Dollar and the South African Rand. This decision was taken following a review of global, regional and domestic economic and financial developments.” Namibia’s stock of international reserves as on the 31st January, 2021, according to BoN, stood at N$34.4 billion compared…
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Learners COVID-19 cases spike
18 Feb

Learners COVID-19 cases spike

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Kandjemuni Kariimui COVID-19 is starting to increase in schools with the Health and Social Services Ministry (MOHSS) announcing 288 leaners and eight teachers have been infected with the virus since Monday. This is despite assurances by the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture in January that 90 percent of schools in the country were ready to re-open and receive students. Among the new confirmed cases, the Ekule Senior Secondary School in the Omuthiya District has recorded the highest Covid-19 cases with up to 101 learners testing positive. The Oshikoto Region as a whole has a total of 112 positive learners,…
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