Investment development board distances itself from Jemima Beukes disciplinary hearing

The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) has distanced itself from the matter involving reporter Jemima Beukes.

Beukes, who is employed by Network Media Hub (NMH), was last week subjected to a disciplinary hearing for allegedly reporting negatively on green hydrogen projects.

This has resulted in NMH banning her from writing about green hydrogen.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, NIPDB spokesperson Catherine Shipushu said the boars had no role in Beukes’ accreditation for the
Global Africa Hydrogen Summit hosted in Windhoek last year being revoked.

“The decision was taken by NMH without any request, directive, or interference from the NIPDB.

“We were informed by NMH to cancel the accreditation of Ms Beukes after the decision had been made in line with what we assume are their internal protocols,” she says.

Shipushu refutes claims suggesting the NIPDB influenced NMH’s decision to revoke Beukes’ accreditation.

She says the board’s engagement with Beukes have been purely professional.

“Prior to the publication of her most recent article published on 6 February on the NIPDB’s internal affairs, we sought to understand the core issues of interest to clarify factual inaccuracies,” she says.

Despite various engagements, Shipushu says Beukes proceeded to publish the article containing inaccurate information, which had been pointed out to her.

Shipushu says the board is concerned about the misrepresentation of facts and the intentional spread of misinformation that tarnishes reputations and misleads the public.

She says the NIPDB remains focused on its mandate of facilitating investment, and promoting inclusive economic growth as a catalyst for job creation and sustainable prosperity for all Namibians.

Shipushu says recent insinuations about the NIPDB’s alleged violation of media freedom and
interference in the internal affairs of NMH are “illogical and devoid of any truth”.

She said since its establishment, the NIPDB has maintained open, transparent, and ethical communication with the media regarding its mandate and operations.

“It is our view that a free and independent media is essential to Namibia’s democratic values and a key component of our country’s attractiveness as an investment destination,” she says.

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