Popular Democratic Movement president McHenry Venaani is demanding clarity about the government’s plans to establish manufacturing and processing facilities across all 14 of Namibia’s regions, questioning how the programme will be funded, implemented and used to create jobs.
Venaani posed questions on the matter to prime minister Elijah Ngurare during a session of the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Venaani said while the government’s plan to promote local value addition, economic diversification and job creation was welcome, details of the projects have not been made public.
“Can the government disclose which manufacturing and processing projects have been identified and where the facilities will be established?” he asked.
He also asked for information about the estimated total investment required and how much will be financed by the government, the private sector and other investors.
A key concern for Venaani is whether the private sector will take the lead in owning, financing and operating the facilities, rather than creating enterprises that remain dependent on government funding.
He has further asked the government to provide implementation timelines, including when construction is expected to start, when the facilities will become operational and when jobs will be created.
Venaani wants to know how many direct and indirect jobs the programme is expected to create and how the government will measure whether those employment targets are achieved.
He also wants clarity on how local farmers, entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized enterprises and Namibian manufacturers will be integrated into the facilities’ supply chains.
The questions come as the government has indicated that progress is being made on the initiative, which is intended to expand manufacturing and processing activities beyond Namibia’s main economic centres.
Venaani’s questions put pressure on the government to move beyond broad policy commitments and provide concrete details about the projects, money, timelines and jobs attached to the 14-region plan.
