Hertta-Maria Amutenja
The leader of the official opposition, McHenry Venaani, has brought attention to the crisis within Namibia’s fishing sector.
The missive, penned under the challenges faced by the country’s fishermen, urges President Hage Geingob’s immediate action to address corruption within the sector and ensure the intended benefits of the Governmental Employment Redressing Programme are realised.
Venaani’s appeal outlines the alarming issues plaguing the fishing sector, a linchpin of Namibia’s economy.
He said despite the Governmental Employment Redressing Program policy’s noble objective to provide employment opportunities for displaced fishermen since 2015, it appears that corruption has seeped into the system.
Stating that the absorption quotas, designed to create jobs, seem to be benefiting only a few companies, without sufficient gainful work available.
Additionally, the concerns raised in his appeal extend beyond economic considerations. By further drawing attention to the breach of trust and unwarranted disillusionment caused by private individuals hijacking the representation of workers’ exclusive economic interests, as initially promised.
“These include the dedicated Namsov workers, who became victims of a drastic reduction in horse mackerel quota allocations, as well as around 1,000 skilled fishermen who found themselves jobless following participation in an illegal industrial strike. However, the circumstances we find ourselves in today gravely question whether these absorption quotas are truly serving those they were designed to assist,” he said.
Moreover, following a tour of the Erongo region and listening to the plight of fishermen firsthand, Venaani implored the President to take swift action.
He specifically calls for a comprehensive review of the Government Employment Redressing Program policy, guided by principles of transparency, impartiality and fairness.
The letter proposes initiating clear, thorough calculations to accurately determine the benefits due to each fisherman, addressing discrepancies and ensuring justice is served.
Venaani is urging the President to direct relevant line Ministers, particularly those of the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation, and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources to prioritise this critical review.
“It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that policies such as the Government Redressing Employment Program live up to their name and purpose,” he emphasised.
