Month: December 2023

WINDHOEK: The Bank of Namibia and the Namibia Revenue Agency on Wednesday launched Namibia’s first Trade Verification System (TVS).

Launched under the theme ‘Where innovation meets opportunity, and where businesses thrive in a connected world’, the system will ensure that the trading of goods is verified. It is expected to reduce the estimated N.dollars 33 billion potential tax-related offenses as estimated by the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) in the National Money Laundering, Terrorist and Proliferation Financing Risk Assessment Report of 2021.

Speaking at the launch, Deputy Executive Director for Economic Policy in the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises, Oscar Capelao pledged the government’s support in denouncing activities that enable illicit financial flows.

‘Over the years, there has been noted misconduct among importers who breach the country’s laws and regulations. We cannot accept this as normal, and TVS is a tool that we will use as a country to the best of our ability to ensure tha
t there is improved decision-making due to timely data and real-time reporting. The overall goal is to have a tax compliance ratio up as it relates to imports and exports,’ Capelao said.

BoN Deputy Governor Leonie Dunn said TVS also empowers commercial banks and the central bank to run improved controls whilst allowing for the elimination of payment duplications which in consequence reduces the inherent risk of commercial banks from being used as conduits or facilitators of illicit financial flows.

On his part, NamRA Commissioner Sam Shivute added, that the collaborative effort underscores the dedication to promoting transparency and compliance in trade operations.
Source: NAMPA

WINDHOEK: The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security issued 92 330 birth certificates this year through fixed registration points and mobile registration services, its Deputy Minister Lucia Witbooi said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the government information centre in Windhoek, Witbooi reiterated the importance of birth registration, saying it is a human right and establishes a child’s legal identity, which, together with the ascertainment of that child’s citizenship, is essential for accessing a range of services such as education, healthcare, and social protection.

She added that moreover, birth registration provides vital statistical data that inform policy and planning at national and international levels.

In addition, the ministry has also connected an additional five facilities to the e-birth and e-death notification system, with an additional two to be connected before the end of the year.

‘In total, the ministry has 106 facilities that are now connected to the e-birth notificatio
n system, as well as 128 facilities that are connected to the e-death notification system. This will enable our citizens to access public services efficiently and promptly,’ Witbooi said.

Still, with civil registration, the deputy minister noted that the ministry continues to meet the demand for identity cards (IDs), with 116 354 cards printed this year.

‘However, the ministry is sitting with 33 168 IDs still uncollected and piling up at our offices. It is against this background that the ministry is humbly calling upon those who have applied for identity documents to come and collect them.

‘Applicants must take note that one can collect his or her ID at the office where he or she indicated to collect it; alternatively, one can also request the ID card to be transferred to the Ministry of Home Affairs office in their respective region,’ she said.

The ministry further made inroads as it managed to reduce the backlog on the capture of historic marriage records from 53 889 in April to 38 545 as of 24 Novembe
r 2023.

During the same period, the ministry reduced the backlog on the capture of historic death records from 62 563 to 55 578.

Witbooi said these were marriage and death records spanning pre-independence and soon after independence, which are not on the National Population Register System.
Source: NAMPA

ONDANGWA: Eleven inmates were released from the Oluno Correctional Facility on Wednesday, following the Community Advisory Council’s (CAC) decision to assist first-time offenders with sentences ranging from six to three months or fines not exceeding N.dollars 1 000.

CAC Chairperson Chika Sitambi said the aim was to offer those with small fines a chance to improve their lives.

Sitambi indicated that 11 inmates were identified, and funds were provided by local businessman Ali Dharani, contributing N.dollars 6 224.99, and the Ongwediva Christian Baptist Church, contributing N.dollar 580.60, for the release of selected offenders.

‘We hope the offenders don’t come back to this facility and turn their lives around for good,’ he said.

Sitambi also called on them to address the issue of unemployment and social ills that he believes are the root cause of several petty criminal offences.

Assistant Commissioner Andreas Mundjenge stated that the offences committed by the offenders included housebreaking, theft, and
stock theft.

He said their release would alleviate the facility’s overcrowding issue as it has a capacity of 569 but currently houses over 700 inmates.

Beneficiary Saara Uugwanga, a first-time offender who was released along with 10 male offenders, pleaded for forgiveness and expressed regret for her actions.

‘Please find it in your heart to forgive us and welcome us back into the community with open hearts. I personally regret my actions and I look forward to doing better in future,’ she said.

At the same occasion, 18 female offenders and seven juveniles were also given hampers as Christmas gifts by the CAC.
Source: NAMPA

KATIMA MULILO: A 16-year-old boy allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself at the Mafuta Mafuta compound in the Zambezi Region on Tuesday.

This was confirmed by the Namibian Police Force (NamPol)’s Zambezi spokesperson, Inspector Kisco Sitali, on Wednesday, who said the deceased allegedly hanged himself with a rope in the house.

The deceased was identified as Makili Hendrik Shombe.

No suicide note was found and no foul play is suspected.

‘Cases of suicide are on the rise among young men at Katima Mulilo,’ said Sitali.

According to Sitali, barely a week ago, a 19-year-old Zambian man allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself with a wire at Katima Mulilo.

Their remains were transported to the hospital for an autopsy.

Police Investigations in both matters continue.
Source: NAMPA