Patience Makwele
Asoli Progressive Party (APP) president Joseph Kauandenge has challenged President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to move beyond mining promises and take decisive action to ensure ordinary Namibians benefit directly from the country’s mineral wealth.
Kauandenge said while the party welcomed the President’s remarks that mining would be a key driver of government’s job creation ambitions under NDP6, the focus should now shift from announcements to tangible economic gains.
“Bold speeches have no relevance to an empty stomach at all, as that becomes simply noise to their ears,” Kauandenge said.
He argued that with more than 54% of adult Namibians earning N$2 000 or less per month, government must adopt a targeted approach to increase Namibian ownership in the mining sector.
Kauandenge called for government to ensure that more than 50% of mining shares remain in the hands of Namibians, saying the country must move from being a consumer economy to a producing nation that creates jobs and improves livelihoods.
