Month: July 2023

Adequate custodial staff is critical in order to ensure safe and secure correctional facilities on a 24-hour basis while creating a conducive environment for the effective delivery of rehabilitation programmes.

These remarks were made by Vice President Nangolo Mbumba while addressing the shortage of custodial officers within the Namibian Correctional Department, required to provide dynamic and human intervention security.

According to Mbumba during the celebration of the 17th Namibian Correctional Services Day (NCS) held in Omaruru on Thursday, this shortage has negatively impacted daily responsibilities of the correctional services such as the manning of entrances and exits, guarding of inmates admitted at public hospitals, amongst others.

‘Therefore, more efforts should be made to ensure that adequate staff are recruited to improve effective delivery of services at our national correctional centres,’ he expressed.

Mbumba however commended the NCS’ Offender Risk Management Correctional Strategy which was implemented in 2010, noting that it has been instrumental in enhancing the effectiveness of Namibia’s correctional system and ensuring the successful rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders.

‘I would also like to express my appreciation and gratitude to all those who are involved in the correctional service for their dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment in carrying out their demanding duties and further acknowledge the resilience and determination of the offenders who have taken steps towards rehabilitation.’

Erongo Governor Neville Andre Itope also emphasised the crucial role the correctional service, in ensuring public safety, maintaining order and providing opportunities for offenders to reintegrate into society.

According to Itope, in 2022 in the Erongo Region, 72 inmates were enrolled in the Thinking and Living Skills for Re-Integration programme, whilst 69 completed several other programmes offered during their rehabilitation.

‘I would therefore like to commend the Namibian Government, through the NCS for creating an opportunity to raise awareness of the department and the commendable work it does to foster community engagement, and to advocate for positive changes within the correctional system,’ he concluded.

The event was held under the theme ‘Striving towards a Safe Society through Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Offenders’.

It was also attended by Commissioner Generals of the Zimbabwean, Eswatini, Zambian, South African and Botswana Correctional Services/Prisons.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The Ministry of Defence and Vaterans Affairs has cautioned registered veterans not to give their information to groups purporting to register veterans of the national liberation struggle for unknown benefits.

In a statement issued on Friday, Senior Public Relations Officer in the ministry, Edson Haufiku, stated that the ministry cautions all registered veterans to desist from associating with those requesting veterans to present their veteran numbers and veteran cards for the registration of unknown benefits.

Haufiku stated that any veteran who avails him or herself and his or her information for this baseless registration does so at their risk.

‘This is not a program endorsed by the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs in particular and the Namibian Government at large,’ he noted.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The Namibia Airports Company (NAC) has made substantial headway in stabilizing its operations, with the company now functioning at roughly 79 per cent of its pre-COVID-19 level.

NAC board chairperson, Leake Hangala, revealed this on Thursday during an annual general meeting in the capital.

Hangula noted that NAC is committed to improving its airport infrastructure in order to support government’s national development goals and harness the natural resources resulting from the recent oil and gas finds, as well as the green hydrogen initiatives.

‘Thanks to the shareholder for the support, confidence and trust shown to the board and management. We have achieved the development of our integrated strategic business plan, submitted to and approval by the shareholder of the company’s budget and business plan for 2022/2023; infrastructural and service improvements at the airports, spearheading aviation connectivity initiatives, as well as introduction of stringent cost-cutting measures that led to the current and improved financial performance and standing of the company,” he said.

Titus Ndove, Executive Director in the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises, stated at the same event that the ministry recognizes and applauds the NAC for its increased performance in financial operations, leadership, governance and compliance.

He noted that it is commendable to see a state-owned firm strive for expansion while remaining legally compliant.

‘As the shareholder, we are in support of the presented strategic initiatives and will continue to support NAC to mobilise the necessary resources for the successful implementation of infrastructural improvements at its various airports,” he said.

The envisaged airport infrastructure developments, which include among others; the Hosea Kutako International Airport congestion alleviation project to extend the VIP/VVIP facilities to bring it to adequate standard in terms of facilitation and the size of the presidential lounge, as well as parking configuration at a cost of N.dollars 18 million.

He added that the apron expansion at Hosea Kutako International Airport at a cost of N.dollars 100 million, funded by government over a two-year period, while discussions are ongoing for the construction of terminal three at Hosea Kutako International Airport and the optimal financing structure for the project and the construction of new terminal buildings at Katima Mulilo, Rundu and Lderitz airports.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni, has requested for the collaboration of all stakeholders to ma achieve the country’s aspirations and goals, such as the much needed housing delivery.

The minister, during the handover ceremony of 108 houses constructed under the Mass Housing Programme at Swakopmund on Friday, emphasised that decent shelter is a basic necessity of life.

‘Government believes that it is justified for the citizens as the sovereign to expect to have a place that they call their own and to meet their dwelling and survival needs. In keeping with this reality and our commitment to the people of Namibia, housing remains one of our key development priorities as clearly articulated in our national development frameworks, namely; Vision 2023, national development plans and the Harambee Prosperity Plan 2,’ Uutoni stated.

He further highlighted the importance for government to ensure that its approach and strategies are holistic and integrated in nature and that all housing development initiatives in the country are properly coordinated to ensure the desired impact.

‘One of the principals that ensure those desired impacts is sustainability and integration. It is critical that our housing delivery process is politically, economically, socially and fiscally sustainable and this among others, requires a balance between end-user affordability, the standards and number of housing units required, as well as the required and available resources and capacity,’ the minister said.

Erongo Governor, Neville Andre Itope, stressed that although there is still a huge backlog of housing that needs to address, the little steps of housing delivery by government should be commended as they bring a huge relief to the backlog and liberation to the beneficiaries who finally have a place to call home.

The 108 houses are part of the 319 houses which were handed over to New Era Investment in October 2022 to complete, after being abandoned for over five years by another contractor.

The remaining 208 are at roof level and the contractor is attending to the final finishes, such as plumbing and electrical works, Itope revealed.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The Ondangwa Town Council will spend more than N.dollar 850 million to implement its five-year strategic plan that will include the upgrading of infrastructure such as roads and sewerage system.

The strategic plan stretches from 2023 to 2028, with council requiring approximately N.dollars 200 million annually to implement several developmental activities over the period.

Ondangwa Chief Executive Officer, Ismael Namugongo, said the plan is aimed at strategically directing, monitoring and evaluating the council’s overall performance in line with the government’s Vision 2030.

Namugongo made the remarks while speaking at the launch of the town’s strategic plan for the period 2023/28, on Friday.

He indicated that they want to tackle developmental related matters in the town in order to be an engine of industrialisation and sustainable development.

‘We are aware of our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that we have in Ondangwa as a whole and need be addressed at all levels,’ he said.

Some of the issues identified, Namugongo highlighted, include stakeholders engagement, infrastructure development such as roads electricity, sewer and water.

With regards to road infrastructure, Namugongo indicated that the key issues requiring attention include a need to construct roads in informal areas and access roads to schools and offices with the town boundaries.

Meanwhile, the construction of a road road passing through Oluno will be done to fully address the congestion of roads in town and addressing the issue of no roads master plan for the town.

Further, Council also target to upgrade roads to bitumen standards in their old locations and work on maintaining of infrastructures for streetlights and in area which experiences water interruption, power outages and have heavy gravel roads to improve service delivery.

Council will also put extra focus it’s credit policy that was not fully implemented, as a result residents owe the Council N.dollars 85 million as at the end of June 2022 in municipal services.

Chairperson of Management Committee Julia Kapia, noted that the strategic plan is a continuation of the work that they have been doing over the past years.

Kapia indicated that having a good document alone does not guarantee success, but it depend on how well they are implementing their plans.

She stressed that executing the strategies and achieving goals as contained in the plan will depend on the strategic foundation of the town council.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency