Hertta-Maria Amutenja
As Minister Utoni Nujoma paid tribute to former President Hage Geingob, he reflected on the late President’s commitment to addressing socio-economic disparities and his lasting impact on the Namibian Nation.
“President Geingob cared deeply about the elderly and working poor,” Nujoma affirmed, setting the tone for a poignant tribute that unveils the compassionate side of the late President.
Nuujoma recalled pivotal moments during Geingob’s presidency, such as the compassionate decision to raise the old age grant, demonstrating a commitment to the well-being of the nation’s senior citizens.
In addition, Nujoma highlighted the late President’s dedication to improving the lives of those at the bottom of the income scale, emphasising the importance of caring for the most marginalised in society.
“He committed the government to take action to improve the lives of the people who were suffering the most, starting with the people at the bottom of the income scale. To this end, he also renamed our Ministry to give explicit recognition to our responsibility to coordinate employment creation,” said Nuujoma.
Minister Nujoma’s tribute extended to President Geingob’s vision for the future, recognising the imperative of solving the problem of high youth unemployment.
He said the late President’s multifaceted strategies for employment-centred transformations, skill development, and support for small and medium enterprises reflected his foresight in preparing Namibia for a new economy.
“He placed a major emphasis on skills development to support economic transformations and growth. The initial results can be seen in, among other things, the major expansion of vocational education and training, the appointment of a task force, followed by a national conference, on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and the opportunities now being offered for training and education to support the development of Green Hydrogen and to prepare for the new oil and gas industry,” he said.
