President Nangolo Mbumba has labelled the renewable energy industries that are set to pick up as the third renaissance for the town of Lderitz, saying that such industries can help the country achieve economic independence.
The first renaissance for the town was the discovery of diamonds in 1908, followed by fishing after independence.
Mbumba who was speaking during a stakeholder meeting here on Saturday, said a country cannot have peace and stability if its economy is not developed, if its laws are not properly applied and if there is no teamwork among the various stakeholders.
‘We should not hide history, because we learn a lot from it, however the most important thing now having gained our independence by the roughest and toughest route that we were fighting, we should not fail to struggle for our economic independence, we now have a chance, we have a chance in Lderitz, in ||Kharas and in the whole Namibia,’ he said.
The meeting served as a platform for the Lderitz Town Council to inform the president on the readiness of the town for the new industries coming to the coastal town.
The town council’s control officer for property, Jonas Mahalelo said the town is faced with a shortage of town land as it only measures 11 000 hectares and urgent expansion is needed, however, the town is faced with challenges as on the west side there is the ocean while the north and east is surrounded by the national area and diamond licences area.
‘With the influx of people coming here for jobs they will need housing services so we need town land to deliver housing, we need to replace our ageing water, electricity and sewage infrastructure because the increase in people will put pressure on these systems. There is also an increasing demand in educational and health facilities as well as recreational facilities,’ he said.
Mahalelo said some of the projects that are expected to be developed include a salmon factory, construction of a manganese beneficiation plant, expansion and development of a new port and establishment of warehouse facilities.
The meeting was attended by regional councillors, local authority councillors, Minister of Justice Yvonne Dausab, National Planning Commission Director General Obeth Kandjoze, ||Kharas Governor Aletha Frederick, Green Hydrogen Commissioner James Mnyupe and business people, among others.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency