Pohamba makes good with business people

LANDS Minister Hifikepunye Pohamba on Wednesday honoured his promise to speak to business leaders after giving Sanlam the cold shoulder during the heated race for Swapo’s nomination of a presidential candidate earlier this year.

Pohamba’s statement indicated that he would be a President who will be close to business, as he called for close consultations on the country’s economy. Before the Swapo Special Congress in May, Pohamba kept aloof, turning down any public meetings as President Sam Nujoma shuttled across the country to ensure that Pohamba was his successor.Other nominees – former Foreign Affairs Minister Hidipo Hamutenya and higher education minister Nahas Angula – accepted an invitation by Sanlam to share their vision for the future of Namibia’s economy if they were elected.Sanlam Managing Director Vekuii Rukoro said on Wednesday that Pohamba had declined, saying he would only meet the “captains of industry” once he was confirmed as Swapo’s presidential candidate.”In that sense, he kept his word,” Rukoro told The Namibian.Pohamba addressed heads of private firms such as Bank Windhoek and Pupkewitz, as well as parastatals including Namdeb and the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa).He called on Namibians “to get fast and catch up with the regional economy or go broke and remain static”.He said business leaders should stick to “business ethics, good governance and strategic planning”, guided by “clarity, accountability and consistency that in turn promote predictability, fairness, responsibility and accountability”.While espousing black economic empowerment, reiterating that the Government was to introduce a law, Pohamba said off the cuff:”I must say, I don’t like this word black economic empowerment, but this is what they say.I’m just quoting what they say.”He did not elaborate and continued reading from the statement.Before the Swapo Special Congress in May, Pohamba kept aloof, turning down any public meetings as President Sam Nujoma shuttled across the country to ensure that Pohamba was his successor.Other nominees – former Foreign Affairs Minister Hidipo Hamutenya and higher education minister Nahas Angula – accepted an invitation by Sanlam to share their vision for the future of Namibia’s economy if they were elected.Sanlam Managing Director Vekuii Rukoro said on Wednesday that Pohamba had declined, saying he would only meet the “captains of industry” once he was confirmed as Swapo’s presidential candidate.”In that sense, he kept his word,” Rukoro told The Namibian.Pohamba addressed heads of private firms such as Bank Windhoek and Pupkewitz, as well as parastatals including Namdeb and the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa).He called on Namibians “to get fast and catch up with the regional economy or go broke and remain static”.He said business leaders should stick to “business ethics, good governance and strategic planning”, guided by “clarity, accountability and consistency that in turn promote predictability, fairness, responsibility and accountability”.While espousing black economic empowerment, reiterating that the Government was to introduce a law, Pohamba said off the cuff:”I must say, I don’t like this word black economic empowerment, but this is what they say.I’m just quoting what they say.”He did not elaborate and continued reading from the statement.