Nama clan leaders want economic empowerment

ECONOMIC empowerment of the Nama people was the key item on the agenda during a consultative meeting Nama traditional leaders had with Swapo Party national leaders assigned to the region.

This was revealed in a joint communiqué issued on Friday shortly after a meeting aimed at finding ways to address the economic exclusion of the Nama people adjourned. In a media statement, Karas Governor Dawid Boois said the leaders demanded economic empowerment for the region’s inhabitants, especially the Nama people.”Despite being given assurances about business opportunities in various sectors, the traditional leaders felt more needs to be done to empower people from the region, especially the Nama people,” he said.Boois said the traditional leaders indicated that they wanted to be in the driving seat of the economic empowerment project, together with regional and national stakeholders.”The leaders felt that the economic empowerment process needs to be structured and sustainable,” Boois remarked.According to Boois, the traditional leaders called on the Government to establish a Cabinet sub-committee to oversee the economic empowerment programme in the region.At the meeting Boois was given the responsibility to ensure that the Karas Development Trust was functional.In addition, the traditional leaders proposed that Boois should become the link between them and the Karas Business Forum established on Friday.The traditional leaders also recommended the inclusion of fishing companies and others in the Preferential Procurement Council.They further called for a joint partnership between the Namibia Institute of Mining Technology in Karas and businesses operating in the region.Friday’s meeting was a follow-up to an earlier meeting between traditional and Swapo Party leaders ordered by President Hifikepunye Pohamba in June to explore why Karas inhabitants were excluded from the economic mainstream.Business leaders in the fishing and mining sectors also attended Friday’s meeting, where they highlighted their involvement in the socio-economic empowerment of the people in the South.The Swapo national leaders included Fisheries Minister Abraham Iyambo, MP Hansina Christiaans and Swapo Party Central Committee member John Walenga.The traditional leaders are set to meet President Pohamba on July 23 to further deliberate on the economic exclusion of the Nama people.In a media statement, Karas Governor Dawid Boois said the leaders demanded economic empowerment for the region’s inhabitants, especially the Nama people.”Despite being given assurances about business opportunities in various sectors, the traditional leaders felt more needs to be done to empower people from the region, especially the Nama people,” he said.Boois said the traditional leaders indicated that they wanted to be in the driving seat of the economic empowerment project, together with regional and national stakeholders.”The leaders felt that the economic empowerment process needs to be structured and sustainable,” Boois remarked.According to Boois, the traditional leaders called on the Government to establish a Cabinet sub-committee to oversee the economic empowerment programme in the region.At the meeting Boois was given the responsibility to ensure that the Karas Development Trust was functional. In addition, the traditional leaders proposed that Boois should become the link between them and the Karas Business Forum established on Friday. The traditional leaders also recommended the inclusion of fishing companies and others in the Preferential Procurement Council.They further called for a joint partnership between the Namibia Institute of Mining Technology in Karas and businesses operating in the region.Friday’s meeting was a follow-up to an earlier meeting between traditional and Swapo Party leaders ordered by President Hifikepunye Pohamba in June to explore why Karas inhabitants were excluded from the economic mainstream.Business leaders in the fishing and mining sectors also attended Friday’s meeting, where they highlighted their involvement in the socio-economic empowerment of the people in the South.The Swapo national leaders included Fisheries Minister Abraham Iyambo, MP Hansina Christiaans and Swapo Party Central Committee member John Walenga.The traditional leaders are set to meet President Pohamba on July 23 to further deliberate on the economic exclusion of the Nama people.