NEFF supports petroleum bill

The Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) has thrown its weight behind the petroleum bill, saying the bill moves Namibia closer to completing the unfinished struggle for true liberation, which is economic freedom.

These were the contributions of NEFF deputy president Longinus Iipumbu in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

His party’s unexpected support, however, was not well received by opposition parties, sending the session into uproar.

“We, the NEFF, view this bill as a revolutionary instrument that strengthens the hand of the state in the struggle of economic freedom. Political independence without economic freedom is meaningless,” Iipumbu said.

He called on parliamentarians to support the bill and ensure it becomes a tool of national empowerment and not foreign enrichment.

He said it is time for Namibian oil to serve its people by directly benefiting everyone through majority state ownership and participation.

Iipumbu said the country must never become a spectator in the extraction of its own resources.
“We must become the owners, controllers, and beneficiaries of our petroleum wealth and protect against exploitation by multinational foreign cooperation,” he said.

He supported the executive overseeing the Upstream Petroleum Unit, saying it will keep bureaucracy out and further elevate governance.

He said the ministry can do evaluations and ensure laws are followed.

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