Observer Money – Page 192 – Windhoek Observer

14 May

Only 800 qualify for quotas

ObserverObserver MoneyMinistry of Fisheries, quotas

Staff Writer Only 800 out of more than 5,000 applications received by the Ministry of Fisheries meet the set requirements to be considered for allocation of fishing quotas, the Windhoek Observer can reveal. As part of their application, applicants were to be judged on a scorecard system to determine their contribution to the socio-economic development of Namibia and its people, including a broad participation at shareholder level to include youth, women, people with disabilities, and persons from economically disadvantaged regions, liberation war veterans and worker trusts, among other requirements. The revelations come as the University of Namibia which had been…

13 May

CRAN licensing brews a storm

ObserverObserver MoneyCity of Windhoek, CRAN, MTC, Paratus, Paratus Telecommunications, Tim Ekandjo

. . . as telcos object to CoW licence Staff Writer The awarding of telecoms licence to the City of Windhoek (CoW) by the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) is brewing up a storm in the telecoms sector, with players accusing the regulator of violating its own rules in the awarding process. This comes as the CoW licence was upgraded by CRAN from the initial application of a Network Facilities Service License, allowing it to lease its fiber optics to other licensed operators to a Class Comprehensive Telecommunications Service License, allowing the municipality to offer integrated telecommunications services, directly…

13 May

Haufiku in appointment limbo

ObserverObserver MoneyBernard Haufiku, Covid-19, Ministry of Health and Social Services

Andrew Kathindi The National Coordinator for the response to COVID-19, Dr Bernard Haufiku, has still not received his appointment letter, nearly two months after his assignment to the position. Haufiku, who is the former Minister of Health, was appointed prior to Stage 1 of the national lockdown as the National Coordinator for the Covid-19 task force and emerged as the face of the response team, giving frequent updates on national statistics with regard to COVID-19. However, it is believed that Haufiku’s candid approach to how government handles the response including admitting the slow testing pace, has increased his credibility among…

12 May

Geingob drawn into CoW fight

ObserverObserver MoneyACC Director General, Paulus Noa

...as ACC declines to investigate appointment Staff Writer President Hage Geingob again has been entangled in the fight between the City of Windhoek (CoW) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Robert Kahimise and the city council over its decision to reappoint City Police Chief Abraham Kanime on a three year contract. This comes after the CoW Chief Executive Officer wrote to the President on Friday asking for his intervention after the Swapo led council pushed through the appointment of Kanime despite a contradicting legal opinion and objection from Kahimise, who is the municipality’s chief accounting officer. When contacted for comment, Kahimise was…

12 May

BoN investigating WhatsApp Stokvel

ObserverObserver MoneyBank of Namibia (BoN), WhatsApp Stokvel

Staff Writer The Bank of Namibia (BoN) says it is still investigating whether the trending WhatsApp Stokvel are legal under the existing country’s banking laws. This comes as Namibians have been joining the stokvels as a means of making additional income under the harsh economic conditions persisting in the country. “Recently, the Bank has picked up a trending WhatsApp Stokvel, which it is assessing to determine whether it is permissible under the relevant provisions of the Banking Institutions Act of 1998, as amended,” BoN’s Deputy Director: Corporate Communications, Kazembire Zemburuka told the Windhoek Observer. He said the current laws does…

12 May

New appointments at CPBM

ObserverObserver MoneyCentral Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN)

Staff Writer The Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) on Monday announced the appointment of 14 new staff members to fill vacant positions at the body tasked with leading the procurement process on behalf of government. Among those appointed are Saara Shapua who is now the CPBN’s Manager of Internal Procurement and Aune Ndeutepo who was appointed Manager of Finance and Administration. This comes after the organization was engulfed in a tribalism storm last year after it was reported that allegedly non-Oshiwambo-speaking employees at the CPBN were being removed by a group within the organization for supposedly being “unamenable to…

09 May

N$500m required for e-learning

ObserverObserver MoneyArts and Culture, Covid-19, Ministry of Education

Andrew Kathindi The Ministry of Education needs N$500 million to fully implement its e-learning needs to cater for learners whose normal learning schedule has been disrupted by COVID-19. Deputy Director of Information Technology in the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, Johan van Wyk, told Windhoek Observer that the ministry has submitted a request to government for a COVID-19 stimulus package and has also submitted a request within its normal ministry budget process. “For an end-to-end package and what we would need for all solutions, not just data, although internet will be the most important part, we are looking at…

09 May

Govt weighs MTC listing plans

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Government, Mobile Telecommunications Limited, MTC, Namibian Stock Exchange, NSX

Staff Writer Government could be forced to review the set timelines and defer the listing of Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) due to COVID-19 outbreak, for what was to be the country’s biggest listing of a Namibian company on the Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX). According to the initially announced timelines, MTC was expected to be listed on the bourse by July 2020, after having submitted its listing application to the Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) by February 2020, with the opening date for its public offer having been set for March 2020 and closing in June 2020. “We are discussing the matter…

08 May

Govt measures won’t save economy -NEF

ObserverObserver MoneyDaan Strauss, Namibia Employers’ Federation (NEF)

Andrew Kathindi The Namibia Employers’ Federation (NEF) says the relief package announced by Social Security Commission (SSC) and the N$8.1 billion Ministry of Finance stimulus package are not enough to rescue the economy and businesses negatively affected by the outbreak of COVID-19 and the lockdown. This comes as the tourism sector, which was meant to benefit from government funding promised by the Ministry of Finance, is yet to receive its allocated N$400 million subsidy. “I think the relief packages announced by Finance and SSC were targeted where the most urgent needs are, and that was for the poorest of the…

08 May

N$220m informal settlements windfall

ObserverObserver MoneyGerman, Government, National Planning Commission, Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia

Staff Writer The German government will contribute over N$220 million towards addressing the country’s informal settlement problem. The funding will be provided under a wider N$700 million grant aimed at improving the living conditions in the country’s sprawling informal settlements. It will also seek to improve access to land title for the residents. “To address the urgent need for action in the informal urban settlements, Germany also committed N$100 million for technical cooperation for sustainable and inclusive urban development as well as N$120 million for financial cooperation (grants) for the promotion of urban infrastructure. These projects are aimed at supporting…