April 28, 2024

Interrogate underrepresentation of ||Kharas learners in green hydrogen scholarship: Nandi-Ndaitwah

Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said an investigation should be launched to determine why there is an underrepresentation of learners from the ||Kharas Region for the green hydrogen scholarships.

Nandi-Ndaitwah made these remarks at Berseba on Saturday during the 13th cultural festival of the |Hai-|Khaua Traditional Authority.

‘I cannot believe that learners from here cannot qualify. And if that is the case, I think we need to interrogate it, because the schools are here, they are on the doorsteps as compared to other regions, this region as compared to others not all the classes are overcrowded,’ she said.

Further, she said it is evident that the country is experiencing drought which is affecting everyone, adding that Government will do everything possible to ensure that those badly affected and in need of food will be assisted.

Nandi-Ndaitwah stressed drought food must be given to those in need and should not be politicised, as it is food bought by the government that it sends for all Namibians wh
o have no food.

‘We cannot play with people’s lives because of politics, we need these people, people must eat in order to vote for you, why starve them…? Drought food is not for families, friends and political allies to those given responsibility to distribute them, therefore, any unethical behaviour in relation to drought food distribution must be reported to the Office of the Prime Minister,’ she stressed.

She also said communities and their traditional leaders play an important role in the socio-economic development of the country while traditional leaders in particular, contribute to enhancing national cohesion, harmony, peace and unity among their communities.

She called upon traditional leaders and their communities to collaborate with law enforcement agencies in their regions to combat gender-based violence and other negative vices.

‘As of late, we have witnessed an upsurge of criminal activities such as domestic violence against women and children, alcohol and drug abuse among the youth and eld
erly in various communities in our country. Community courts in various traditional communities adjudicate both criminal and civil cases and our communities should utilise these institutions to promote law and order, to maintain peace and harmony in the communities,’ said Nandi-Ndaitwah.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

April 28, 2024

President Mbumba to host King Philippe of Belgium this week

WINDHOEK: President Nangolo Mbumba will host King Philippe of Belgium on a five-day visit, starting on Monday, the Presidency has announced.

A media statement issued Sunday said King Philippe’s visit from 29 April to 03 May 2024 will present Namibia and Belgium with an excellent opportunity to deepen the strong bonds of friendship and growing bilateral relations that the two countries currently enjoy.

The statement indicated that Belgium is ranked as Namibia’s fifth top 10 exporter partner in copper, diamonds, precious metals, fruits and nuts – valued at more than N.dollars 5 billion between 2022 and 2023.

It noted that imports to Namibia from Belgium include pharmaceutical products, mineral fuels and oil products of more than N.dollars 3 billion.

‘The visit by His Majesty King Philippe, the King of the Belgians provides an excellent opportunity for Namibia and Belgium to strengthen cooperation for the benefit of our peoples in a diverse range of sectors; from green hydrogen, environmental protection, tou
rism, forestry, arts and culture, trade and investment, including the development of port infrastructure,’ Mbumba is quoted as saying ahead of the visit.

The Presidency noted that people-to-people exchanges between the two countries have also seen a sharp increase of activities in the areas of education. It added that Namibia additionally emerged as one of the top destinations for Belgian tourists in Africa, while Belgian investments have increased in the tourism sector.

King Philippe will hold bilateral talks with President Mbumba at State House on Tuesday. He will also lay a wreath at Heroes’ Acre and visit Hope Initiative Southern Africa – Namibia (HISA) in Okuryangava, where he will participate in a financial literacy and economic empowerment session.

On Thursday, the Head of State and King Philippe will witness the Cleanergy Green Hydrogen inauguration in Walvis Bay, Erongo. They will view the filling of two dual fuel trucks at the hydrogen refuelling station and tour the green hydrogen production are
a, dual truck workshop and solar park.

King Philippe will be accompanied by a large Belgian business delegation.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

April 28, 2024

Lions Old Age Home gets revamped kitchen

First National Bank (FNB) Namibia through its FirstRand Foundation donated N.dollars 225 000 for the renovation of the kitchen at the Swakopmund Lions Old Age Home.

The recent unveiling of the renovated kitchen was combined with staff volunteerism and initiatives, during which some helped prepare meals for the elderly while others assisted those in the village’s Frail Care Centre.

FirstRand Corporate Social Investments Manager Revonia Job in an interview with the media said the donation is part of the foundation’s focus area and motto of giving back to the community.

‘It is important for us as a bank to take care of our senior citizens with the wisdom that they have, and we are really very happy to be associated with the Lions Club and the elderly home,’ she noted.

The donation included tiling, replacement of equipment and painting.

Secretary of the Lions Club Jonathan Wilsnach noted that the kitchen had not been renovated for the past 35 years and it had been the club’s long goal to get the renovations
done.

‘We are therefore very grateful that we have managed to accomplish that task with the help of the FNB Foundation. We have been busy with projects to try and raise funds to renovate this kitchen and a lot of work has indeed been put into this renovation and we cannot be more appreciative as we can now focus on other areas to improve at the old age home,’ he expressed.

Head chef at the home’s kitchen, Maria Seibes also expressed gratitude to FNB for the renovations, adding that the new equipment will now make food preparation easier and more efficient for her and the other kitchen staff.

There are currently 90 units at the centre, with over 200 elderly and frail care residents at the old age village.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

April 28, 2024

MIT to develop infrastructure for street vendors

WINDHOEK: The Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade (MIT) has embarked on setting up infrastructure for informal traders.

Addressing micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners of the Moses ||Garoeb Constituency in Windhoek on Saturday, Minister of Industrialisation and Trade Lucia Iipumbu said the ministry has identified the need to upgrade and develop infrastructure of MSMEs and has budgeted N.dollars 4 million under the current financial year towards the Informal Economic Traders Platform Infrastructure Development programme.

She said MSMEs makes up 40 per cent of the country’s traders and therefore the ministry has committed towards budgeting for the upgrading of informal trader economic hubs.

‘We think we have done enough with industrial and SME parks, our focus now is on informal traders. We see many people are selling their products on the margins of the street and many of you are street vendors. So our focus is that each financial year we at least envisioned to give three main informal trad
ers space,’ she said.

She indicated that through the Namibia Industrial Development Agency (NIDA) a total of 46 industrial and SME parks were constructed across the country.

Iipumbu further explained that the programme is done in collaboration with local authorities, noting that under the current financial year, infrastructure development will commence in Okalongo in the Omusati Region, Mariental in the Hardap Region and Henties Bay in the Erongo Region.

She explained a ministerial tour in City of Windhoek’s informal settlements during the COVID-19 era in 2020 identified that about 19 informal economic hubs need infrastructure development.

Also, she noted the ministry has the Industrial Upgrading and Modernisation Programme (IUMP) that offers free training on behavioural change, finance and equally assists traders with equipment between N.dollars 50 000 and N.dollars 400 000.

‘Everybody needs training, even you selling fatcakes. We came to realise that we need to train you on how to manage your finances.
We don’t want you to continue selling 20 fatcakes a day which will gain you a profit that is only enough for you to buy a 1kg maize bag, we want you to grow and think in terms of growth,’ she said.

Iipumbu also indicated that the ministry has revived in 2023 the Equipment Aid Scheme which was halted since 2016 due to budgetary constraints, which supports MSME owners with start-up equipment.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

April 28, 2024

MVA concerned about rise in road accidents

The Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund noted the alarming rise in road accident related statistics during the past Easter holiday.

According to the fund in a media release, road crashes during that weekend rose by 6 per cent, injuries by 19 per cent, and fatalities by an overwhelming 60 per cent.

These figures according to MVA Fund Chief Executive Officer Rosalia Martins-Hausiku, not only reflect a shocking increase from the previous year but also signify a critical need for immediate intervention to ensure the safety of all road users.

‘The safety of road users is of paramount importance because road crashes have devastating consequences that affect families, communities and the nation at large.

The MVA Fund has noted that these crashes are often predictable and preventable through conscientious driving, strict adherence to road traffic rules and regulations, planning long journeys, while also avoiding driving at night when there is less visibility on the road,’ she expressed.

The fund has also expressed
its condolences to the families affected by the tragic bus accident which occurred outside Walvis Bay earlier this week, resulting in the death of two tourists and injuries to many more.

The fund has assured the families that the injured will receive the appropriate medical care and attention they need.

‘We extend our deepest sympathies to the persons injured of the recent tragic road crash and their families. The fund is also offering support to those affected and is closely monitoring their recovery,’ Martins-Hausiku said.

According to MVA, foreign nationals in Namibia are entitled to medical treatment and injury management for the duration of their stay in the country.

Additionally, if a foreign national is fatally injured in a road accident in Namibia, they are eligible for a N.dollars 7 000 funeral grant.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

April 28, 2024

NEMA Calls For Closure Of Quarries In Murang’a As Heavy Rains Persists

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has written to the Murang’a county security committee to suspend operations of stone, sand and clay quarries, even as the ongoing heavy rains put them at the risk of collapsing.

In a letter written by the county NEMA director Sarah Waruo, chiefs, their assistants and members of Nyumba Kumi have been directed to inspect quarries at their areas of jurisdiction and consider suspending operations so as to save lives of artisanal miners working there.

Murang’a county has many quarries in different sub counties and in the recent past the region has been receiving heavy downpour.

In the second week of April, one quarry at Maragi area collapsed injuring two miners who were admitted at Murang’a level 5 hospital for several weeks.

Some parts of the county have also witnessed mudslides, which have blocked sections of local roads and destroyed some farms.

Waruo noted that due to the wet conditions, some quarries are at the risk of collapsing, thus the need to susp
end their operations until the rains subside.

‘Murang’a county has several quarries distributed in all the sub counties. The quarries are excavated either mechanically or manually by artisanal miners. With the current heavy rainfall there is the likelihood of quarries collapsing due to wet conditions.

This therefore is to request the county security committee to be on the lookout for any of the quarry at risk of collapsing and the same should be closed immediately to avoid the loss of lives in the event of a collapse,’ read part of the letter.

At the same time, Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) Friday ordered for the closure of a section of Murang’a-Kiriani road.

This was occasioned by a mudslide, which has hit road at Gaturi ward leaving motorists exposed to dangerous ditches in parts of the area.

More than 10 sections of the road have also been partly blocked by debris and boulders that have been dumped on the road as heavy rains continue pounding the area.

The authority on its social platforms
ordered closure of sections between Murang’a post office and Mugeka after the collapse of a road embankment.

It urged motorists to use alternative routes to their destinations as the Central Region KeNHA Engineer Francis Kimata said the affected sections of the road will be repaired.

‘The Murang’a – Kiria ini road is critical and was recently allocated to KeNHA from Kerra,’ said Kimata urging motorists to divert to St Mary- Gitugi – Kiriaini and Gakonya- Mukurwe ini roads to access parts of Kiharu, Mathioya and Othaya.

In the past two weeks, residents served by the road had raised concerns after mudslide incidents, especially near the Mathioya river bridge.

Source: Kenya News Agency