Enviro fund stuck in starting block

ALMOST four years after members of the Environment Investment Fund (EIF) Board of Directors were introduced, the fund has not yet got off the ground.

This is because there is no money, says the Director of Environmental Affairs in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Teo Nghitila.
He was responding to The Namibian’s query this week on what progress has been made towards the establishment of the fund.
Nghitila is Chairman of the EIF Board of Directors, whose term has expired in the meantime. It was introduced in September 2005.
‘The reason why the fund has not been set up yet is because there is no money,’ said Nghitila.
He said the initial idea was to get N$50 million from the Ministry of Finance to get things running but the Ministry told them they do not have the money.
Nghitila said Cabinet approved the N$50 million but the Ministry of Finance only gave them N$200 000, which was only enough for producing a few strategic documents.
‘The implementation was not done,’ Nghitila added.
He explained that the fund was supposed to use only the interest on the N$50 million and then look at other sources of funding.

‘WE’RE NOT GIVING UP’

Asked if there are no donors willing to give the fund money, Nghitila said donor agencies are unwilling do so because the board members are mainly from Government institutions.
However, Nghitila said the board will continue trying to get the fund up and running and hopes that Government will this year give them much-needed funds.
He said this year they will start early with efforts to solicit funds.
The purpose of the EIF is to provide grants, loans and bursaries to Namibians, community-based environmental projects and non-governmental organisations to pursue approved projects and activities that promote the sustainable use of natural resources.
When he introduced the EIF board members in 2005, Environment and Tourism Deputy Minister Leon Jooste said the fund was a long-term mechanism for the Community-Based Natural Resources management programme and could also be considered as a potential long-term financing mechanism for a self-insurance scheme in human wildlife management.
Other members of the expired EIF board are: Dr Gabi Schneider from the Geological Survey, Mike Mukete from the Bank of Namibia, Sheehamandje Iipinge from the Ministry of Agriculture and Olga Katjiuongua from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.