President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has warned that the government could introduce a law compelling investors to contribute to community development if companies fail to do so voluntarily.
Nandi-Ndaitwah made the remarks during the inauguration of the Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah Science Exhibition Hall at Rössing Uranium Ondangwa Centre at Ondangwa on Wednesday.
The facility was funded by Rössing Uranium Mine through its Rössing Foundation.
The president urged investors to build clinics, roads and sport facilities as part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives.
“All new investors have to follow that example. We want to see social responsibility that brings tangible contributions to the community in which you are investing,” she said.
The president said Namibia continues to face a serious unemployment challenge, stressing the importance of investing in young people.
“Our children need to be moulded. That is why we made sport one of our priorities,” she said.
“I would like to see corporates volunteering and saying, ‘I am going to construct a sport facility in constituency ABC so that we can support young people’. I want to see corporates saying, ‘I would like to build a hospital, clinic or roads as part of my corporate social responsibility’. We want that to be done,” she said.
The president questioned why the government should be forced to enact legislation to ensure investors contribute to community development.
“Why do you want a law to force us to do that? If you want, I will make it,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah encouraged companies already undertaking corporate social responsibility projects to continue doing so.
“I, therefore, encourage the private sector to emulate what we are seeing here,” she said.
She said the country’s peace and stability can only be sustained if all citizens benefit from economic development.
“Together we can create opportunities. The peace and stability we have in this country can only be sustained if we are able to take care of all the citizens of Namibia. If not, we are sitting on a ticking time bomb,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah commended Rössing Uranium Limited for investing N$37.1 million into the Ondangwa Centre through the Rössing Foundation.
Economist Omu Kakujaha-Matundu says the president’s proposal is not a bad idea.
“Investors are never chased away by some legislation. They come whenever they smell profits. Depending on how well the legislation is crafted, investors will find some loopholes and find some creative ways to avoid corporate social responsibility,” he says.
