Observer Money – Page 192

20 Apr

Same-sex couple loses court bid

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyHigh Court Judge, Philip Lühl, Supreme Court, Thomas Masuku

Rose-Mary Haufiku High Court Judge, Thomas Masuku, on Monday dismissed an urgent application by same-sex couple, Philip Lühl, and Guillermo Delgado, to have their recently born twin daughters, currently in South Africa, granted emergency travel documents. In their application, Lühl, Namibian, and Delgado, Mexican, were seeking an order compelling Minister of Home Affairs, Frans Kapofi, to grant the children travel documents to travel to Namibia. The Judge argued that the court would be overreaching if it were to grant the order. In the ruling, the High Court held that the applicant ought to have filed an application for the issuance…

20 Apr

Katjavivi bars Swartbooi, Seibeb from Parliament

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyBernardus Swartbooi, Henny Seibeb, Parliament, Peter Katjavivi

Andrew Kathindi Landless People’s Movement (LPM) Leader, Bernardus Swartbooi, and the party’s Parliamentary Chief Whip, Henny Seibeb, have been barred from attending Parliament by Speaker of the House, Peter Katjavivi after they were forcibly removed from the Chambers last week. Swartbooi and Seibeb were not in Parliament for Monday’s session. "In the meantime, the Speaker ruling of Thursday, 15 April, 2021, that the two Members of Parliament (MPs) are withdrawn from the Chamber remains in force until it is set aside on the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Standing Rules and Orders and Internal Arrangements. Further penalties will be…

16 Apr

ReconAfrica makes onshore oil and gas find in the Kavango

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyReconnaissance Energy Africa

Staff Writer Listed Canadian oil and gas company, Reconnaissance Energy Africa announced on Thursday that it has found oil and gas indicators and shows over three intervals at its first well onshore the Kavango. The well according to the company, found more than 200 metres of indicators and shows. “The components and processes for a working petroleum system are all present, “ReconAfrica’s board member Dan Jarvie. Jarvie said shows indicated “migrated, thermogenic petroleum” had been found over three intervals in the Kavango Basin well. “Mud gas results indicate a high BTU gas with the presence of light oil in numerous…

16 Apr

Uutoni, Jooste in the dark over NHE suspensions

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyNational Housing Enterprise (NHE)

Rose-Mary Haufiku The two line ministers under which the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) falls under, Erastus Uutoni and Leone Jooste are not aware that the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Gisbertus Mukulu, had suspend four of the enterprise’s senior managers. Mukulu’s action, which has been seen as retaliation, comes after the managers had formally written a letter to company’s board chaired by recently appointed NamRa boss, Sam Shivute, questioning the CEO’s competence. Public Enterprises Minister, Leone Jooste whose ministry is charged with ensuring corporate governance is followed in government institutions, said he had not been consulted on the decision. “I…

16 Apr

AstraZeneca finally arrives …as ministry misses vaccination target

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyAstraZeneca, Covid-19, Health Ministry Deputy Executive Director, Petronella Masabane

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri Namibia is set to get more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, with the much-awaited AstraZeneca expected to arrive in the country Friday morning. According to Health Ministry Deputy Executive Director, Petronella Masabane, the consignment will be the first of three tranches of doses the country will be expecting. “First tranche of 24 000 doses will be landing. Next week expecting more and the rest of the allocation in May from COVAX, also exploring other pipelines," Masabane said. The arrival of the vaccine, which is being sourced under COVAX facility, comes more than three months after it was initially…

16 Apr

Chaos reigns in Parliament again …as Geingob delivers his state of the nation

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyBernardus Swatbooi, Henny Seibeb, Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader, Parliament, president Hage Geingob

Andrew Kathindi President Hage Geingob’s State of the Nation address (Sona) was brought to an unceremonious end when chaos broke out in Parliament on Thursday. Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader, Bernardus Swatbooi, and the party’s second in charge, Henny Seibeb, where thrown out of Parliament during a question-and-answer session after the President had delivered his Sona. Seibeb appeared to have been removed by the President’s guards from the chambers after flinging documents in the direction of Geingob. According to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Peter Katjavivi, he foresaw this coming. "This has been coming for a while. I really…

15 Apr

BoN Governor defends high bank charges

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyBank of Namibia (BoN) Governor, Covid-19, Johannes Gawaxab

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri Bank of Namibia (BoN) Governor, Johannes !Gawaxab, has come out in defence of existing high banking fees and charges,stating that it was not the role of the central bank to detect what should be charged. This comes amid concern that high bank charges and fees in the country are contributing to financial exclusion, as members of the public shy away from the formal banking system. “We need to be careful that we don’t go tell the banks ‘thou shall charge the following fees’ because if that happens then we have got issues with financial stability in the country…

15 Apr

Swartbooi threatens to report PM to ACC

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyAgriculture Minister, Bernardus Swartbooi, Calle Schlettwein, Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader

Andrew Kathindi Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader, Bernardus Swartbooi, is threatening to report Prime Minister, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over allegations that she illegally occupied a farm which she sold to Government. The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform approved the purchase of two farms belonging to the Prime Minister to the tune of N$14 million. Swartbooi alleged that the Prime Minister illegally occupied the farms that were originally placed under her portfolio, but meant to be rehabilitated for resettlement of generational workers from the San Community. “Once we have acquired each and every part of…

14 Apr

Ombudsman blames Jooste for SOE, August 26 mess

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyJohn Walters, Leon Jooste, Ombudsman, Public Enterprises minister

Maria Hamutenya Ombudsman, John Walters, is partly blaming Public Enterprises Minister, Leon Jooste, for the current problems the country’s State Owned Enterprises are facing, in particular August 26. The Minister allegedly has not cooperated during an investigation by the Ombudsman into August 26, while also covering compliance of all public enterprises (PEs) with regards to submitting annual financial statements. The long serving Ombudsman said the Minister even ignored his recommendations, including those which called for August 26 to be audited. “He failed to do more, that’s the reason he did not implement my recommendations. In fact he did not even…

14 Apr

I have failed – Sam Shivute . . . as employees demand NHE CEO exit

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyNamRA Commissioner, National Housing Enterprise (NHE), Sam Shivute

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri and Rose-Mary Haufiku National Housing Enterprise (NHE) Board Chairperson, Sam Shivute, has admitted failure in providing low cost housing. The admittance by the recently appointed NamRA Commissioner comes as the NHE is in crisis over the Board’s decision to renew Chief Executive Officer(CEO), Gisbertus Mukulu’s term for another five years amid allegations of incompetence. The former Okahao Town council CEO was appointed in 2016 without Cabinet’s approval, amidst assertion that former Omusati Governor, former Local Government minister, and current Swapo Secretary General, Sophia Shaningwa, had a hand in the appointment. “Yes, we did not build the 1250 houses…