Month: July 2024

The Microfinance Banks (MFB) has recorded impressive performance in all key assessment parameters with the total deposits surging by 168 per cent to N1.25 trillion at the end of second quarter 2024.

Mr Joshua Ukute, the National President, National Association of Microfinance Banks’ (NAMB’s), said this Monday in Abuja.

According to him, the subsector’s total assets has also increased to N2.795 trillion, representing 91 per cent increase year-on-year as of the end of June.

Ukute gave the performance highlights of the subsector at the NAMB’s 2024 Annual General Meeting in Abuja.

He said that as of June 30, the efficiency in the sub-sector improved by 13.09 per cent to 12.25 per cent, and that the Liquidity Ratio was 65.46 per cent due to increased lending.

He attributed the sub-sector’s sound financial and operational results of the operating MFBs during the period to the Visibility and Impact Capacity Building and Self-Regulation (VICS) project.

He said that the VICS project was initiated by the executiv
e council of the association on assumption of office two years ago.

‘The last 12 months have been exciting as the MFB subsector witnessed significant growth.

‘Reports from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as of June 30 state that the Total Assets of the Sub-sector increased by 91 per cent to N2.795 trillion.

‘Total Deposits increased by 168 per cent to N1.25 trillion, and Total Loans increased by 34 per cent to N1.382 trillion.

‘Efficiency in the sub-sector improved as PAR improved by 13.09 per cent to 12.25 per cent and the Liquidity Ratio was 65.46 per cent due to increased lending,’ Ukute said.

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He recalled that the association during his tenure engaged several partners to ensure that the activities of MfBs had the desired impact on all stakeholders

‘Our engagements with various agencies NFIU, FIRS, BOI and DBN, deepened the collaborations and relationships with our members,’ he said.

He said that the secretariat
facilitated major programmes that have positively impacted member-banks on issues relating to compliance, skills improvement, and regulators’ relations.

According to him, though the achievements recorded were impressive, the subsector continued to face some challenges, including increasing operating expenses occasioned by high energy costs, dearth of skilled staff, and inflation.

He said that these continued to put pressure on members’ businesses.

He noted that the compliance regime of CBN, and the revocation of Heritage Bank’s licence had ripple effects on MfBs with trapped funds in the liquidated bank.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

WINDHOEK: The Head of the Namibian Observer Mission to the Venezuelan election, Erginus Endjala, has called on the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) to emulate the election process in Venezuela.

In an interview with Nampa on Monday, immediately after the announcement of Nicolás Maduro as the winner, Endjala described the election as having been held in a calm atmosphere, and as organised, free, and fair.

Maduro was declared the winner after obtaining 51 per cent of the vote against opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez’s 44 per cent on Sunday.

The Venezuelan presidential elections were held on 28 July 2024 to choose a president for a six-year term beginning on 10 January 2025.jala explained that voting in Venezuela is electronic and voters just need to press the button assigned to their preferred candidate on a voting machine.

‘The electronic voting is a heavily audited process in Venezuela. Upon casting a vote electronically, a voter can verify that his or her vote was cast as intended through a pape
r receipt, which the voter then places into the ballot box,’ he said.jala stressed that if the Electoral Commission of Namibia can collaborate with the Venezuelan election commission to acquire the knowledge and technology used, it could ensure a more speedy election process in Namibia.

He noted that they followed the process with keen interest and were given the opportunity to visit polling stations where people were casting their votes.jala further indicated that the election was a one-day process and that once voting was concluded, all results were compiled by the system.

He then urged Namibians to appreciate the opportunity they have to register as voters and encouraged every Namibian to go and cast their vote on 27 November in order to exercise their democratic rights.

Another member of the delegation, Willem Amutenya, who is also a Swapo Party Youth League Committee member, congratulated the people of Venezuela for having truly spoken and defended their revolution to ensure the development of their c
ountry.

Amutenya stated that what impressed him most was the involvement of young people in voting, which should be a clear message to the young people of Namibia that it is their responsibility to make a choice.

Source: The Namibia News Agency

Members of the Namibian Police Force (NamPol) in the Otjozondjupa Region have intensified a manhunt for the five suspected armed robbers who allegedly stormed a fuel station at Otjiwarongo on Monday and stole more than N.dollars 246 000.

NamPol’s head of community affairs in the region, Senior Inspector Maureen Mbeha, in an interview with Nampa on Tuesday said the armed robbery took place between 06h00 and 06h30 on Monday.

Preliminary police investigations indicate that a woman working for the filling station reportedly collected money from the filling station office and brought it to the main shop on the same premises, said Mbeha.

‘At that time, five unknown men armed with a pistol, machete and an axe entered the shop, ordered everyone inside to lie down on the floor. They forced the manager inside the fuel station shop to open the safe, but since it was still not locked, the thieves easily accessed it and took more than N.dollars 246 000, before fleeing on foot,’ Mbeha said.

The five suspected armed rob
bers are still unknown and at large.

The stolen money has not been recovered and police investigations into the matter continue.

Source: The Namibia News Agency

WINDHOEK: American nationals, Marcus Thomas and Kevan Townsend, convicted last year for the murder of Namibian André Heckmair, are appealing their sentences in the Windhoek High Court.

Appearing before Judge Christie Liebenberg, the two men were informed that a ruling in the matter will be delivered on 09 September 2024. Thomas was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment, while Townsend was sentenced to 29 years imprisonment, in connection with the Heckmair murder in Windhoek on 07 January 2011.

Heckmair was killed in a quiet street in Klein Windhoek with a single gunshot to the head. His body was discovered in his vehicle.

During sentencing, Judge Liebenberg found that the killers’ motive was still unknown and that they were not forthcoming with information pertaining to the murder of Heckmair, who was at the time of his murder visiting his family for the holidays. He was based in Switzerland at the time.

The two men were also charged for illegally importing firearms and possessing firearms and ammunition wit
hout a licence. The judge in addition found that the two Americans travelled from the United States of America with one goal in mind, to track down and kill Heckmair. He further found that the two men showed no remorse during the trial.

‘They appear unfazed by the crimes they committed and the consequences to others,’ Liebenberg noted.

Heckmair was also robbed of 100 Swiss francs. The judge maintained that murder and robbery are prevalent in society and as such, it weighed against the two suspects in sentencing.

The two men were trial-awaiting prisoners for 13 years before they were sentenced last year.

Source: The Namibia News Agency

The Namibia National Teachers’ Union (Nantu) in the Kavango East Region elected its new leadership to steer the regional executive committee forward for the next five years.

Nantu held its regional conference on 20 July 2024 at the Dr Romanus Kampungu Secondary School to put its regional structure in place.

A total of 82 delegates attended the event where Petrus Kashumali was elected as the regional chairperson, deputised by Vallentinus Kamenye.

Gervatius Samende was elected as the secretary of Nantu, with Immanuel Linyando as his deputy. Paulus Kativa took up the position of treasurer while the remaining positions of organising secretary, information and publicity as well as secretary for gender went to Timothy Mbathera, Joseph Gideon and Rosina Muruti.

The new chairperson elect Kashumali, told Nampa on Tuesday that he did not really have intentions to step up to the challenge but was approached by colleagues who believe he has good leadership qualities to advance and cater to the professional, social an
d economic needs of its members in the region.

‘Members are yearning to see that radical aspect of Nantu again which in my view it lost in the past five years. Nantu was known for its radical leadership instead now it’s sort of hiding behind the Namibia Public Workers Union (NAPWU),’ he said.

Kashumali said he is aware that the union even lost many of its members in 2022 when civil servants received a 3 per cent salary increment.

He said the decision to avert that strike by civil servants was taken without consulting the members which led to Nantu losing some of its people.

He said in his new role he will protect teachers in their workplace and improve their living conditions.

Source: The Namibia News Agency

Eight cases of human trafficking have been reported since April 2023 to date in Namibia, with five cases currently on the court roll, while one case has been convicted.

Additionally, since August 2023 to date, the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare (MGEPESW) accommodated a total of 26 victims of trafficking of whom 12 were children.

These statistics were revealed by Minister Doreen Sioka at the National Commemoration of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons in Swakopmund on Tuesday.

According to Sioka, there has been increasing reports of domestic trafficking, highlighting that trafficking may also take place within a single country, where both origin and destination are within the same country and not require the crossing of an international border.

‘We cannot deny that there has been an increase in the crime of trafficking in persons in the world, Namibia included. It has also been recorded that the crime of trafficking in persons has been perpetrated towards both fem
ales and males from different age groups but more towards children because of their vulnerability, family background, as well as socio-economic contexts,’ the minister added.

Chief of the Namibian Police in the Erongo Region, Commissioner Nikolaus Kupembona stated that manuals on Gender-Based Violence, Child Protection, Trafficking in Persons and Children in Conflict with the Law, are excellent tools for law enforcement in the fight against Trafficking in Persons.

‘Law enforcement agencies are encouraged to make use of these tools and to work hand in hand to improve our efforts to fight this heinous crime and fully protect the victims and our society at large,’ Kupembona emphasised.

Florence Situmbeko of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Head of Office in Namibia highlighted that IOM’s database globally contains over 100 000 individual cases, with approximately 5 000 new cases added each year. Currently, IOM globally assists 7 000 to 9 000 victims annually.

‘Efforts to prosecute those beh
ind trafficking networks have faced significant challenges, and new approaches are needed to ensure justice for victims. Increased investment is required to evaluate anti-trafficking interventions and researching current trends to guide future responses,’ she said.

Source: The Namibia News Agency