Pohamba calls for tolerance, nation building

NAMIBIANS should continue to promote peace, security, stability and tolerance in the country and reject tribalism, regionalism, ethnicity, racism, sexism and nepotism, ‘with the contempt they deserve’, President Hifikepunye Pohamba said yesterday in his fifth annual State of the Nation address in Parliament.

‘Let us embrace what is good and noble for our future as we strive to make Namibia a better place for all,’ the President urged. ‘As this is an election year, I call upon all Namibians to ensure that all our laws are respected. We should ensure that election campaigns and other political activities are conducted in a peaceful atmosphere. Political support should only be gained through the power of persuasion,’ Pohamba stressed. ‘Provocative acts which could incite violence should be avoided at all cost. Our common aims should be the holding of credible, peaceful, free and fair elections. I therefore call upon all our people to join hands and work together to build a better society.’Our heroes had visions of Namibia as a country where citizens preoccupy themselves with constructive and productive endeavours aimed at nation building and these ideals we should promote and live for.’ The Head of State focused on recent Government accomplishments and gave a broad overview of achievements on health, education, housing, training and job creation during the just completed 2008-09 financial year. He did not touch on land reform and also did not mention if envisaged Government plans to subsidise water and electricity prices for the poor would materialise.Despite the global economic crisis, which has severely affected countries in the past year, Namibia has enjoyed investor confidence through the investment of N$2,5 billion by German investors in the Ohorongo Cement factory near Otavi and N$2 billion invested by United Africa Group in the Namundjebo Plaza Hotel development in Windhoek. ‘However, the deteriorating global demand for our products has hurt our mining industry resulting in the closure of mines, the scaling back of operations and loss of jobs,’ Pohamba pointed out. On the other hand, Government last month introduced tax relief in the new budget, the central bank has dropped interest rates and capital expenditure in the new financial year was increased substantially to stimulate the economy.’I trust that collectively, as a nation, we can and will weather the storm,’ Pohamba reassured the nation.He said Government had cushioned the impact of soaring fuel and food prices in 2008 by introducing VAT exemption on essential basic food items. ‘I have expressed my views that effective monitoring mechanisms are needed in order to ensure that VAT benefits of these measures do reach the intended beneficiaries. With the recent fall in the price of oil and interest rates, I find it difficult to see any justification for the ever-increasing food prices,’ the President criticised. Turning to labour issues, Pohamba told the House that regional labour offices had opened in different towns recently including Opuwo and Outapi, to be followed by Rundu and Gobabis this year. ‘We will introduce legislation to create a legal framework, institutions and tools to help record accurate statistics on unemployment in the country and the envisaged Employment Services Bill will provide for the establishment of an electronic national employment information system to register job seekers, to list job vacancies, to match job seekers and prospective employers, to identify skills deficits, provide information on enterprises, training and bursary opportunities. ‘Employers will then be required by law to report all employment vacancies to Government,’ the President said. An Employment Creation Commission would soon be established to co-ordinate national employment creation initiatives.The youth would get support with the deployment of qualified vocational counsellors at regional labour offices, who would provide guidance free of charge to young people to help them choose professions that match their competencies and aptitudes to fight unemployment.The new National Youth Credit Scheme has already benefited hundreds of youth who also received mentoring and training in basic business management. ‘Many of them are now engaged in business activities already,’ Pohamba said, to strong applause from Members.On the social front, Pohamba reported that 280 690 senior citizens now received a monthly state pension of N$450 and funeral benefits form them were raised from N$2 000 to N$2 200. ‘Our Government will also provide funding of economic projects for (war) veterans to create job opportunities. There is a ceiling of N$250 000 per project,’ he announced . While child mortality had increased recently due to HIV-AIDS and inadequate nutrition, the President told MPs that the immunisation of infants up to the age of 12 months had reached 84 per cent countrywide. ‘We are on course to achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target of 100 per cent immunisation coverage by 2012,’ he said. He added that renovations and upgrading were done at hospitals in Katutura, Windhoek Central, Oshakati, Rundu, Khorixas, Outjo, Tsandi, Katima Mulilo, Keetmanshoop, Okakarara and Tsumeb. Another highlight of the past year, according to President Pohamba, was a partnership agreement on health between the Health Ministry and the Anglican, Lutheran and Roman Catholic churches in October 2008. ‘Government will give a 100 per cent subsidy for salaries of their health personnel and 85 per cent for capital projects to church hospitals.’brigitte@namibian.com.na