Day: March 8, 2024

WINDHOEK: The Namibia Press Agency (Nampa) is set to initiate training programmes for media professionals that focus on the coverage of emerging sectors within the oil and gas industry.

Nampa Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Linus Chata made the announcement on Thursday during a high-level tertiary education funding budget review dinner held at the Nampa headquarters in Windhoek.

The event was officiated by Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila. Also in attendance were Minister of Higher Education, Training and Innovation Itah Kandjii-Murangi, Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology Modestus Amutse, and prominent industry figures.

‘This event is the first of many similar engagements Nampa will be hosting going forward. We plan to give exposure to a wide range of sectors of our economy and society,’ Chata said.

The CEO noted that Nampa has ‘come of age’ and is determined to leverage all available avenues to deliver on its mandate.

‘We are scaling up and expanding beyond traditional ne
ws and information collection and dissemination, to content creation. With the aid of modern technology, we are able to connect corporate entities with their target markets here in Namibia and beyond,’ Chata added.

Nampa board member Bertha Amakali, while officially opening the event, commended participants for their dedication to national development, stressing the importance of research, innovation, and training in emerging sectors such as oil and gas and green hydrogen.

‘Our collective efforts will guide us toward sustainable growth and impactful outcomes. Besides the presentations, let us engage in constructive dialogue, share insights, and chart a course that aligns with our Harambee mantra, no one must be left out,’ said Amakali.

Amakali further revealed that Nampa has finalised its strategic plan, outlining its readiness to serve as a reliable information and content partner in the era of multimedia and emerging technologies.

She encouraged collaboration, stating, ‘Our teams will be calling on you
soon to discuss what we can do for you with our diverse capabilities.’

Nampa currently distributes content to over 500 digital media platforms and 88 newspapers across more than 70 countries and regions worldwide. The news agency delivers news to over 18 radio stations throughout Namibia.

Source: Namibia Press Agency

The Okongo Constituency councillor Efraim Shipindo has urged public members to desist from stealing community water pumps as these cost the government millions to replace.

In an interview with Nampa on Friday, Shipindi stated that the three water cylinders stolen this week from boreholes at Okamanya, Onheleiwa and Okanyanona villages bring the total to 13 stolen since last year.

‘We suspect that thieves might have taken the water pumps into Angola to re-sell or nearby farms where people have private taps,’ he said.

He called on communities to expose people who steal water pumps so that they can be dealt with.

Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform spokesperson Jona Musheko said the ministry condemns the recent reports of cases of theft of water pumps, most especially in the north and north-central region.

‘This really takes us back in terms of our objective of water supply in the rural areas,’ he said.

Musheko indicated that in all those villages where the water pumps and solar panels are stole
n, the communities are left in a crisis as the water supply is interrupted.

He urged the community to safeguard the facilities that are put up by the ministry in different areas, be it boreholes, water pumps or solar panels, as when this happens it sets communities back.

He also urged the community members to report the culprits, as the government has no resources to be going back and forth replacing stolen equipment.

Source: Namibia Press Agency

Employees of Coastal Infrastructure Terminals Namibia have received a salary increase of 7 and 6.75 per cent, respectively.

The increase of 7 per cent is effective on the basic salary of each employee who falls within the category of operator (excluding senior operators), while 6.75 per cent was added onto the salaries of all other category employees within the bargaining unit.

This was cemented through the signing of a wage agreement between the employers and the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) at Walvis Bay on Thursday.

Coastal Infrastructure Terminals Namibia is a Walvis Bay-based company responsible for bulk storage and distribution of fuel, with a smaller branch in Lderitz.

An additional 7 and 6.75 per cent, respectively, have also been added to the housing allowance of the employees within the bargaining unit.

The increase is effective from January 2024 and employees will receive back pay for the months already lapsed for this year, subject to the employee being in the employment of the employe
r at the date of payment.

MUN secretary general Fillepus Ampweya who represented the union commended the parties, noting that this was a milestone agreement for the union because, in addition to the salary agreement, the two parties also signed a recognition and procedural agreement.

‘This is rare because you do not usually get employers who will want you to sign the recognition agreement after a wage agreement. Usually, they will want to only sign the recognition agreement and then only perhaps after a couple of negotiations, would you be able to sign a wage agreement,’ Ampweya said.

He further stressed that the MUN continues to provide premium service to its members with specific emphasis on advocacy for sustainable and conducive working conditions.

On behalf of the employees, the chairman of the MUN branch executive committee Bornbright Mubiana hailed all parties involved in the negotiations for their patience, maturity and consideration.

‘Although the process of negotiations took slightly longer than
we would have liked, we are glad we could reach an amicable agreement for both employees and employer,’ Mubiana said.

Source: Namibia Press Agency

A group of concerned aspiring farmers in the Otjinene Constituency of the Omaheke Region on Thursday took to the streets to air their grievances against the Maharero Traditional Authority (MTA).

The group led by Swapo district coordinator Assaria Tjingaete in their petition accused the MTA of alleged nepotism, corruption and malpractices.

It demanded that some implicated traditional councillors resign, blaming them for promoting tribalism, nepotism, chauvinism and personality cults.

The MTA instead of being free and representing the people of Otjinene fairly, are misinforming, misleading and instigating division among members of that community, it said.

‘We are tired of your unlawful practices of allowing your family members to apply for land and mapping a number of land and selling to non-inhabitants of our areas for enriching yourselves. We will not let you continue mapping our land surrounding our villages in the names of your children and selling them to strangers,’ the group said.

‘We are requestin
g the communal land board, the chief, the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Office of the Ombudsman to set up a team and investigate the aforementioned malpractices, deliberate practices and corruption. The implicated councillors should recuse themselves or go on permanent retirement,’ they added in the petition.

Receiving the petition, Dave Ndjavera, special adviser to the MTA said they were not informed of the demonstration, however Tjingaete had reported the aforementioned alleged corruption and nepotism cases to the authority, thus, they were waiting for him to come for his hearing as agreed.

‘We were having a hearing on the objection of the customary land right that has been allocated by the traditional authority some years back. The objector did not turn up on time and said he’d only be available in the afternoon and he came here with a group without notifying the authority,’ Ndjavera said.

‘The Maharero Traditional Authority is a representative of the people that are living in the communal areas of
Otjinene irrespective of their political affiliation, religion and tribes. We are guided by the provisions of the Traditional Authorities Act. Thus, there are no favouritism, nepotism and maladministration,’ he said.

Source: Namibia Press Agency

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Ethiopia’s partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB) continued to be productive.

The premier received and held discussions with African Development Bank’s East Africa Regional Deputy Director General, Abdul Kamara on AfDB’s projects in Ethiopia this morning.

Additionally, PM Abiy congratulated the President of the AfDB Akinwumi Adesina, on receiving the Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership.

Prime Minister Abiy stated on social media that Ethiopia’s partnership with AfDB continued to be productive.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Dundee Precious Metals (DPM) has sold the Tsumeb smelter to a Chinese mining company, Sinomine Resource Group, for N.dollars 908 million in cash on Thursday.

DPM announced the sale in a press statement availed to Nampa on Friday, saying that it has entered into a definite share purchase agreement with a subsidiary of Sinomine Resource Group for the sale of its interest in the Tsumeb smelter.

‘The sale includes all associated assets and liabilities through the disposition of all the issued and outstanding shares it indirectly holds in Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb Holdings,’ read the statement.

DPM president and Chief Executive Officer, David Rae said they were pleased to announce the sale of the Tsumeb smelter, which is consistent with their strategic objectives of focusing on their gold mining assets and simplifying their portfolio going forward.

‘We are extremely proud of the investment that we have made to transform Tsumeb’s operational and environmental performances into a specialised custom smelter
with a highly skilled workforce,’ said Rae.

The company expressed thanks to the Government of Namibia, the community of Tsumeb, and their employees for their support over the past 13 years, saying they will work closely with Sinomine to ensure a smooth transition to support a successful future for the operation and all its stakeholders.

‘DPM acquired the smelter in 2010 to secure a processing outlet for the complex concentrate produced by the company’s Chelopech mine in Bulgaria and with the development in the global smelting market and changes in the quality of the Chelopech concentrate, DPM can place its Chelopech concentrate at several other third-party facilities, providing secure and reliable processing alternatives at favourable terms,’ read the statement.

DPM is a Canadian-based international gold mining company with operations and projects located in Bulgaria, Namibia, Serbia and Ecuador. The company’s purpose is to unlock resources and generate value to thrive and grow together.

Source: Namibia
Press Agency

The half-year government performance of Ethiopia’s current fiscal year in the economy, social, and administrative sectors has been evaluated today in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh.

It was stated on the occasion that there are indications observed over the past months that the 7.9 percent economic growth forecast for the current fiscal year, can be achieved in the agricultural, industrial and service sectors.

The Deputy Premier said at the conclusion of the evaluation meeting that encouraging achievements have been registered over the past months.

However, he stressed that there are issues which require a great deal of attention citing lack of institutional coordination and shared goal.

The Deputy Prime Minister stressed the need to strengthen institutional coordination with a view to realize national goals.

Temesgen revealed that the government is taking bold reform measures to expedite national development and underscored the importance of curbing illegal acts and theft in orde
r for the reforms to be successful.

He stressed the need for collaborative efforts to replicate the successes achieved in the agricultural sector on the industry and mining sectors.

In order to realize this, the Deputy Premier said enhancing productivity, supply of inputs, and promoting the consumption of local products will be government’s focus areas in the coming months.

He also mentioned about government’s efforts to address the challenges of inflation through monitory and fiscal policy measures.

Ministers, state ministers and head of several public institutions were in attendance at the evaluation meeting.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency