Retired minister of mines and energy Isak Katali says the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy needs a leader who is incorruptible and not easily persuaded.
He said this yesterday in the wake of the dismissal of former deputy prime minister and mines minister Natangwe Ithete on Sunday.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on Tuesday appointed minister of defence and veterans affairs Frans Kapofi to the position on an interim basis after she took control temporarily.
Nandi-Ndaitwah removed Ithete amid his alleged violation of the presidential moratorium on oil and gas deals by renewing an exploration petroleum license (EPL) owned by Desmond Amunyela and businessman Lazarus Jacobs from Paragon Holdings.
Amunyela has strongly denied involvement in Ithete’s dismissal and says his company follows all procedural regulations.
“The ministry has many challenges and needs a person with a heart that is not easily persuaded or influenced. A person must be able to withstand temptation coming from individuals in different sectors – be it mining or petroleum,” Katali said.
Without negating the youth, he said the ideal ministerial candidate is a mature and already established person who is not looking for opportunity.
“The ministry needs someone with critical reading ability to be able to understand the recommendations made by ministry officials in the first place,” he said.
Such a person, Katali said, should also have the ability to read and acquaint him/herself with the laws governing the administration of the different sectors of the ministry.
The ideal candidate is transparent and refrains from dealing with issues of the ministry in private, he said.
He said the mining sector requires policy changes which do not necessarily come from the ministry, but from the government as a whole.
Katali said the government needs to strengthen its Epangelo Mining company and resource it fully to participate and negotiate on its behalf to represent the government in all mining deals.
“Epangelo Mining should be doing almost what the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia is doing on behalf of the government in the petroleum sector,” he said.
The president in a video circulating on social media taken during a closed-door staff meeting on Monday said there seem to be “things” happening in the ministry she is not aware of.
President of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) Bisey /Uirab has emphasised the need for an overarching policy aimed at driving inputs to inform sectoral developments.
The National Upstream Local Content Policy spells out the government’s intent, direction and undertaking to create a pathway for the full participation of all Namibians in the petroleum sector, according to the mines ministry.
“The government is currently drafting a local content policy that will regulate the participation of Namibian businesses in various sectors, including energy, mining, and manufacturing. The NCCI is consulting to ensure the policy supports local businesses while also making it attractive for all investors to participate in the economy,” /Uirab says.
Political analyst Rui Tyitende yesterday said a close look at Swapo’s National Assembly members gives the president limited options for appointing the next minister.
Tyitende said the potential candidate needs to be of impeccable moral character, but that in itself is rare in politicians.
However, Iipumbu Shiimi and Alpheus !Naruseb would be the preferred candidates considering the current crop of leaders to choose from, Tyitende said.
“More importantly, !Naruseb did not come from retirement just to be an ordinary parliamentarian to sit and exchange views with MPs. He is old enough to be their grandfather, “ he said.
Tyitende added that !Naruseb stands a better chance as Shiimi is seen as ideologically opposed to the president’s socio-economic agenda, and a blue-eyed boy of former president Hage Geingob.
Going forward, the NCCI president says the country needs a person well versed in the industry, who can engage with potential investors and who believes Namibia can get the best out of oil and gas deals for its people.
– Additional reporting Ellen Albertz
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