Day: January 22, 2024

OSHAKATI: The Namibian Police Force’s Oshana Regional Commander, Commissioner Naftal Lungameni Sakaria, has called on residents of Oshakati to avoid keeping aggressive dog breeds following an incident that left a 35-year-old man hospitalised.

The man, Mbundje Benjamin Shituku, was attacked by a pit bull in Oshakati’s Evululuko residential area on Saturday.

Sakaria told Nampa Shituku had gone to a neighbour’s house but when he entered the yard, the homeowner told him to leave.

The neighbour reportedly has personal issues with Shituku’s brother.

‘The owner of the house went to the dog’s cage, opened it, and the dog bit the victim on his right hand and right foot,’ Sakaria said.

He added that the victim sustained serious injuries and he was rushed to the Oshakati State Hospital.

Sakaria indicated that no case had been opened yet, but urged residents to not keep aggressive dogs and to not use the dogs to attack people.

‘The owners must know that they will face the law at the end of the day and such dogs wi
ll be put down,’ he said.

The community has called for action to be taken against the owner of the dog, as this was not the first time such an incident has occurred.

Last year, Ruben Abraham, a 44-year-old security guard employed by Rubicon Security, succumbed to his injuries in hospital after being attacked by five dogs while returning home from work.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

KATIMA MULILO: A 21-year-old man was allegedly stabbed in a disagreement over the withdrawal of money sent via eWallet at Ongwediva on Saturday.

Oshana Community Affairs Officer, Inspector Thomas Aiyambo, said the incident occurred around 15h30 at a bar.

He said the victim was admitted to the hospital with a stab wound allegedly inflicted by someone who accused him of secretly withdrawing money sent to him (the suspect) via eWallet.

‘It is alleged that the victim and the suspect were arguing over an eWallet that was sent to the suspect’s phone and withdrawn. The suspect started accusing the victim of withdrawing his money,’ Aiyambo said.

The suspect has not yet been arrested and police investigations continue.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

WINDHOEK: The failure to collectively invest in the SDGs is being felt by developing nations and threatens the growth of their economies, Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has said.

Nandi-Ndaitwah was speaking at the third South Summit of the Group of 77 plus China in Kampala, Uganda on Sunday. The deputy prime minister and Minister of International Relations is leading the Namibian delegation of senior government officials.

Nandi-Ndaitwah noted that the theme ‘Leaving no one behind’, is appropriate as it emphasises the imperative of ending extreme poverty and reducing inequalities and vulnerabilities.

She said the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Report 2023: Special Edition titled, ‘Towards a Rescue Plan for People and Planet’ indicates that more than half of the world’s population has been left behind. It also said more than half of the SDG targets have not recorded enough or any progress at all, while 30 per cent have either been halted or reversed.

‘The failure to collec
tively invest in the SDGs is being felt by developing nations and threatens the growth of their economies, in the process deepening disparities and driving our people deeper into poverty, a phenomenon that greatly affects women, youth and children disproportionately,’ Nandi-Ndaitwah said.

She noted that in order to ensure that nobody is left out Namibia, in solidarity with the oppressed peoples, particularly those suffering the consequences of armed conflict and violence around the world, emphasizes the need to ensure human rights for all.

Nandi-Ndaitwah further said Namibia’s classification as an ‘upper middle-income country presents challenges which have constrained the country’s ability to effectively mobilise resources to finance its development goals and to address historical injustice.

‘Namibia is not asking for free money, we only demand justice that will enable us to have access to affordable finance. Therefore, the reform of the international financial architecture is crucial to bridge inequalitie
s between developed and developing countries,’ the deputy prime minister said.

The two-day summit ends Monday, and the Fourth South Summit is expected to be held in 2029, in the Latin America and Caribbean Region.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

KATIMA MULILO: Namibian Police Force (NamPol) spokesperson in the Zambezi Region, Inspector Kisco Sitali, has issued a warning to residents of Mpacha, urging them to avoid handling suspicious objects that may pose a threat to their safety.

Inspector Sitali emphasised the potential dangers of explosions in an interview with Nampa on Sunday.

His statement follows an incident in Mpacha on Friday, where a grenade explosion claimed two lives. According to police reports, 34-year-old Kashako Mulatehi, the father of the deceased, allegedly found a hand grenade and spent cartridges and took them home.

Mulatehi reportedly attempted to open the hand grenade by striking it with the head of a traditional axe, leading to an explosion, which resulted in the immediate death of his 13-year-old son. Mulatehi’s nine-year-old daughter succumbed to her injuries in hospital on Saturday, while his four-year-old son sustained serious injuries.

Inspector Sitali expressed concern over the disregard for safety protocols.

‘Our exp
losives unit has been educating people about these grenades, that they are deadly. However, we have noticed that sadly people just collect the objects and sell them at scrap yards, risking their lives,’ he said.

He further said landowners in Mpacha who are concerned about landmines can make a formal request to NamPol to screen and clear their land to ensure a safer environment.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

OPUWO: Despite disappointing results in last year’s Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary (NSSCO) and Advanced Subsidiary (AS) examinations, the Kunene education directorate remains optimistic.

Petrus Shipalanga, the region’s interim education director, told Nampa recently there was a modest improvement, as 15.95 per cent of learners qualified for Advanced Subsidiary level compared to 11.3 per cent in 2022.

Shipalanga however said more efforts should be made to improve the region’s academic performance as despite this progress, just 160 of the region’s 1 003 students who wrote the examinations last year, qualified for AS Level.

He further revealed that the Kunene Region encountered difficulties in executing the Regional Improvement Plan. The challenges included understaffing in professional development areas such as English, commercial subjects, agricultural science, and junior primary.

‘Other subjects did not have senior education officers to give professional support to instructors,’ he explaine
d.

Shipalanga acknowledged that the region has teachers who are misplaced or underqualified to teach in the senior secondary phase, noting that some secondary phase teachers are only equipped to teach up to Grade 9, whilst others are trained for the junior primary and senior primary phases.

Speaking to Nampa about Kunene’s performance in the examinations, community activist and Opuwo Primary School board member, Tjakazapi Mbunguha said alcohol and drug abuse amongst learners also contribute to the low pass rate.

Mbunguha advocated for the ban of school-aged children in bars and entertainment venues so that they can concentrate on their studies, as well as for parents to become active in their children’s education.

The Kunene Education Directorate has planned teachers’ conferences to address the region’s performance in the 2023 examinations and to improve academic performance in future.

The first teachers’ conference was held in Khorixas on Friday, with the remainder of the conferences taking place this w
eek.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

KATIMA MULILO: The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare is battling to keep vulnerable youth off the streets, even after rehabilitation efforts, a senior social worker at Katima Mulilo, Elsie Saushini, has said.

In an interview with Nampa, Saushini said some youths, despite having homes, appear to prefer to spend time on the streets, engaging in begging and other activities.

According to the 2023 statistics, the ministry screened 28 youth, aged between 16 and 14, with 80 per cent of them being male. Saushini said they hail from informal settlements.

‘These children come from informal settlements like Macaravani East and West and Dairy with single parents, mostly mothers. The fathers are not in the picture,’ Saushini said.

She said some of the youths live with their grandparents, who may lack the strength and energy to effectively monitor and guide them. Some attend school in the morning but return to the streets after school to beg for money and food. Some have transitioned from begging to sellin
g small items like sweets, eggs, and vegetables for their upkeep, despite being registered for social grants, the social worker said.

In an attempt to address the rising number of youth on the streets, Saushini said the ministry investigates each case and explores alternative living arrangements with families before considering foster homes.

‘However, the allure of street life, particularly the financial gains, often draws them back to the streets,’ she said.

Saushini cautioned about the dangers associated with adopting street life as a lifestyle, including potential involvement in drug and alcohol abuse, as well as prostitution. She urged parents to collaborate in monitoring and discouraging street life among their children.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency