Day: December 19, 2023

WINDHOEK: Executive Director in the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS), Ben Nangombe, on Monday said that the government is working towards a Private Public Partnership (PPP) in the renovation process of the Windhoek Central nurses’ home.

Nangombe, in a recent interview with Nampa, said the commencement of the possible collaboration with the private sector for the renovations has begun, and could however not further disclose the possible private partner’s name.

He said a bid notice prior to the collaboration with the private sector will be advertised only when the government through legal advice is advised on the way forward.

Plans to renovate the nurses’ homes situated in the Windhoek Central hospital premises in the capital arose after recent complaints about their dilapidated state.

The MoHSS in September had announced that it has cleared two out of four blocks of the nurses’ homes at the central hospital in preparation for building renovations.

This follows the ministry’s previous stateme
nt that it would carry out general repairs on the nurses’ home and doctor’s quarters, as these buildings have been reported to be in a dilapidated state in recent years.

Nampa reported earlier that some of the cleanliness issues at the health facility are exacerbated by the nurses’ home residents, who allegedly litter outside their windows and balconies, as they are not monitored, leading to their ignorance about the environment.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency

SWAKOPMUND: The Namibian Police Force (NamPol) in the Erongo Region have confirmed the discovery of one of the bodies of the two children who went missing at sea while swimming with others at Henties Bay last weekend.

According to NamPol’s Commander of the Erongo Community Affairs Subsection, Inspector Ileni Shapumba, on Tuesday, the body, which was was found offshore at Grysduin, about six kilometres north of Henties Bay, was identified as that of 11-year-old Marie France Brockerhoff Ngo Mbock.

Subsequent police reports indicated that the two children reportedly drowned at sea between 14h00 and 15h00 on 15 December after they left their home between 12h00 and 13h00 on the same day with a few other friends.

It was further alleged that while they were in the water with other children, a strong wave swept them away. The rest of the children allegedly managed to run out of the water, except for the two girls.

The recovered body will be transported to Walvis Bay Police Mortuary for an autopsy, while the searc
h for the other girl, who is presumed to have drowned, continues.

The deceased girl’s next of kin have been informed of her death.

Police investigations continue.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency

WINDHOEK: The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, on Monday said in his end-of-year statement that poaching remains an issue in Namibia, despite the recorded decrease over the year 2023.

According to Shifeta, 48 rhinos were poached in 2023 compaered to 92 in the previous year, while eight elephants were poached in 2023, compared to four in 2022.

Wildlife conservation continues to face the challenges of poaching, habitat fragmentation, and human-wildlife-conflict, issues that continue to reverse the hard-earned achievements in safeguarding wildlife, Shifeta said.

‘To bring poaching under control, we need to stand and work together as stakeholders. Poaching is not the only challenge, but so is human-wildlife conflict, this is due to new smart conservation methods that lead to an increase of wildlife outside of national parks. The main reports are crop damage, livestock losses, injuries to people, and in certain circumstances, death. The ministry has paid over N.dollars 31.7 millio
n since 2019 in offsetting losses due to human-wildlife conflict. The stakeholders did have conferences to seek solutions to address to conflict,’ Shifeta said.

In 2023, the ministry recorded 85 per cent compliance of the Environmental Management Act, which was enacted to protect the natural environment. The ministry received 1600 applications for environmental clearance and 984 clearance certificates were issued. The most common being for infrastructure development, urban development and mining. The high number of applications, Shifeta said, is attributed to the newly introduced online application system, which will continue on in 2024.

The government also completed a number of constructions in national parks, such as Sesriem, Skeleton Coast and Cape Cross, with further plans to develop other national parks across the country in the pipelines.

‘The ministry has carried out a number of inspections and in order to prevent further illegal activities. The ministry will continue to work with stakeholders in or
der to combat challenges such as poaching, human wildlife conflict, and climate change issue as tourism remains the key economic factor in Namibia,’ Shifeta noted.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency