Month: April 2024

Posted on

Jagger calls on all stakeholders to police the misuse of social grants


Gender equality, poverty eradication and social welfare Deputy Minister, Bernadette Jagger, called for a strong collaboration between all stakeholders to ensure that grants are used for their intended purpose, which is to uplift the most vulnerable out of extreme poverty.

Jagger, while launching a sensitisation campaign on the misuse of social grants at Omitara in the Omaheke region on Monday, called on traditional leaders, churches, regional leadership, the ministry’s staff and the Namibian Police Force to, as community representatives start policing social grants.

‘It is important to understand that the provision of social protection services is a fundamental human right, therefore policing the usage of social grants borders towards the abuse of these rights. No law prohibits or directs how social grant beneficiaries should disperse their money’, Jagger said.

Due to the lack of laws or policies to prohibit the misuse of grants, there is thus a need to have constant awareness campaigns and monitoring from
those close to beneficiaries.

In his remarks, Omaheke regional chairperson Igantius Kariseb who initiated the campaign said the initiative was prompted by complaints and concerns from the communities around the region and the whole of Namibia on how beneficiaries are misusing the little they are getting from the government, citing alcohol abuse as one of the main contributing factors to the misuse.

‘The situation on the ground in terms of social grants is disheartening, the government is trying its best for our people to at least get a social grant to improve their livelihood but by the look of things what we see in the region is not the optimal utilisation of these grants, therefore as regional leadership we came up with this initiative to sensitise our people’, Kariseb indicated.

The campaign, which kicked off on Monday, will reach all corners of the Omaheke region before it concludes on Saturday.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Posted on

Media crucial in shaping public perception: Kaulinge


The media plays an important role in moulding public opinions and influencing both corporations and the Namibian society as a whole.

Selma Kaulinge, Communications and PR Manager at Nedbank Namibia, made this statement at the fourth annual Nedbank Women in Media conference in Windhoek on Saturday, which was themed ‘Bringing together diverse voices’.

Kaulinge stated that supporting initiatives such as Women in Media helps to develop and improve the media sector as a whole.

The conference provided an opportunity to connect with and learn from like-minded trailblazing females in Namibia’s media industry, as well as to facilitate a platform for discussing how women in the media industry deal with gender disparities in leadership, mental health, and representation.

Several speakers advocated for a shift towards inclusive storytelling that depicts women’s lives in a nuanced, safe, and representative manner, while award-winning journalist Shelleygan Petersen discussed policy gaps that endanger the safety of fema
le journalists in the newsroom and how these policies should be implemented properly.

‘Many of my colleagues have left the profession because they prioritised their mental health over their passion for the job, which should never be the case. Your mental health should not come at the expense of your title or organisation,’ Petersen stated.

Throughout the conference, emphasis was put on the need of mentorship schemes in nurturing the next generation of female media workers and ensuring their sustained success and well-being in a competitive environment.

Through collaboration and collaborative action, delegates reiterated their commitment to driving good change and moving the needle forward for gender parity in the media sector.

Sylvia Mundjindi of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung delivered a keynote address emphasising the need of the media industry ensuring safe spaces for women in the workplace.

Selma Ikela, a news editor, highlighted how to handle Namibian concerns through storytelling, while Elzita Beukes
and Eva Rakel delivered compelling lectures on entertainment as a catalyst for women’s empowerment and a worldwide view on the media landscape, respectively.

The curtain closer of the event, a panel discussion on the contribution of corporate PR to the media landscape, opened the floor to insightful ideas from experts including Hilaria Graig, Corporate Communications and Stakeholder Relations Manager at the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, Helena Mootseng, Public and Corporate Affairs Manager at Namibia Diamond Trading Company, and Katrina Sikeni, Manager for Stakeholder Engagement at the Government Institutions Pension Fund.

This year’s Nedbank Women in Media conference provided the platform for building new networks, opening up a safe space for tackling difficult dialogues and encouraging constructive conversations.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Posted on

LPM holds rally at Rundu


RUNDU: Landless People’s Movement (LPM) President Bernadus Swartbooi said his party is the only one that has publicly disagreed with the budget that is given to towns such as Rundu.

Swartbooi made the remarks during a rally by his party, at Ndama Sewerage Soccer Field at Rundu on Sunday.

‘As we speak, we are also the only party that has said that a new and better building must be constructed for the Rundu Town Council because the building it is currently operating from is dilapidated,’ he said.

Councillors in the Kavango East Region he said are just focused on how well they are dressed instead of finding solutions to the problems in the region.

‘Teachers are not employed and the region is starving as they talk about how expensive the shoe they are wearing is,’ he said.

Swartbooi said in towns where his party is governing, LPM has brought electricity to areas and people that need it most.

The party leader further boasted about the party having the youngest councillors, and mayors in the country.

‘The pa
rty is also making sure that we are bringing women up and we are re-equipping and re-tooling them,’ he said.

He accused a certain political party of receiving funds from the Europeans for paying people N.dollars 200 to join them and then doing nothing for the people afterwards.

Swartbooi encouraged the gathering to take money or food given to them by other political parties but urged them to vote for LPM on 27 November 2024.

‘If the government gives you food, take the food. If they give you money from any other party, take the money and then go vote for LPM,’ he said

The LPM leader called on Namibians in the two Kavango regions to start making a change by exercising their power and voting for a different political party such as LPM.

‘Go and register on 03 June but before that make sure you have your identification card to get a new voters card,’ Swartbooi said.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Posted on

Otjiwarongo operating without five top executives


OTJIWARONGO: The Otjiwarongo Municipality will as of Friday operate without substantive strategic executives including a chief executive officer (CEO) after all its top five executives have tendered their resignations or went on early retirement.

This is according to the Otjiwarongo Municipality chairperson of the management committee, Godhardt Hoko in an interview with Nampa on Monday, who revealed that the five executives left the municipality between March 2023 and April 2024.

The five vacancies include that of the CEO, strategic executive for finance, human resources, technical and community and economic development services.

‘These executives left the municipality not because there was hostility, but for their greener pastures or to attend to other callings in their lives.

For now, the municipality has a council resolution to have a substantive CEO be recruited first, and once hired, assist the municipality in recruiting the other four strategic executives,’ said Hoko.

The position of CEO is still v
acant since the departure of Moses Matyayi who joined the City of Windhoek in a similar position as of July 2023.

Hoko explained that the town’s current acting CEO, Erickson Mwanyekange who is the strategic executive for community and economic development services has also resigned from the municipality with 26 April being his last official working day.

‘Therefore, as of Friday this week the municipality will not have a substantive top executive, which is a bad situation for its operations,’ said Hoko, adding that the municipality in March this year recommended to the line Ministry of Urban and Rural Development the name of a male candidate who attended interviews on the position of CEO, after he was shortlisted from a total 47 applicants who had applied for the top position.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Posted on

Capricorn gets IFC edge advanced green building certification


The Capricorn Corner building, which houses the Capricorn Group’s cutting-edge offices in Klein Windhoek, has received EDGE Advanced green building accreditation from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank Group’s private sector arm.

The certification, presented by EDGE certification partner, Green Business Building Certification Inc (GBCI), marks the first internationally recognised operational building to be EDGE-certified in Namibia.

This achievement also preludes this year’s World Earth Day, highlighting Capricorn Group’s progress in environmental stewardship, Ruan Bestbier, Capricorn Group Head of Sustainability on Monday said.

He said that sustainability is central to the banks’ purpose and the group’s strategic imperatives, and achieving the EDGE Advanced certification supports its commitment to integrating sustainable practices and investing with responsibility.

‘The Capricorn Corner building excels in energy efficiency and reducing our environmental footprint, and it has also
significantly enriched the surrounding communities since its inception by generating employment opportunities, driving sustainable growth, and nurturing a culture oriented towards sustainability,’ Bestbier said.

An innovation of IFC, EDGE is an online platform, a green building standard and a certification system for more than 170 countries.

EDGE was created in response to the need for a measurable solution to prove the financial case for building green and help jumpstart the mainstreaming of green buildings, he noted.

Bestbier explained that EDGE empowers building professionals to quickly and easily determine the most cost-effective ways to build green based on occupant behaviour, building type and the local climate.

‘The Capricorn Corner office building was designed according to world-class standards to be future-proof, environmentally friendly and safe to meet the current needs of employees and the future workforce.’

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Posted on

CDC delegation pays courtesy visit to Uerikua


OTJIWARONGO: A delegation of medical doctors working for the United States of America’s (US) Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Namibia, paid a courtesy visit to the Otjozondjupa Governor, James Uerikua on Monday morning at his office in Otjiwarongo.



The delegation was led by the US CDC Country Director in Namibia, Dr Brian Baker, together with his deputy, Dr Benjamin Monroe, as well as some chief health programme officials from the Ministry of Health and Social Services.



Baker briefed Uerikua on the purpose of the visit, saying the team is in the region to conduct some routine technical oversight checks on the programmes being supported by the Windhoek-based US CDC Nambia office.



According to Baker, most of the programmes receiving support from his office are related to Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/Aids.



‘Our weeklong visit intends to travel to the areas of Tsumkwe, Gam and Mangetti Dune health facilities in order for us to learn from the team on the ground and then determine how best we would support them,’ said Dr Baker.



Uerikua on his part urged the delegation to consider through discussions the critical health needs of the region and the lack of ambulances at all four health administrative districts in the region.



The visit, which started on Monday, will end on Friday.





Source: The Namibia Press Agency