Day: June 16, 2023

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Walvis Bay budgets over N.dollars 600 million for capital projects

The Walvis Bay Municipality has tabled a N.dollars 609 million budget for capital projects, which will be executed over periods of more than one year.

During the tabling done in Walvis Bay on Thursday, chairperson of the Walvis Bay Council management committee councillor Richard Hoaeb said the total amount on the capital budget anticipated to be spent during the current financial year amounts to N.dollars 312 million and the remaining N.dollars 296 million into the next financial year.

Land development projects are anticipated to take up N.dollars 121 million, for projects which will be run over more than one financial year.

“From the above total land development budget, N.dollars 18.5 million has been budgeted for the development of Farm 37, Portion 11, while N.dollars 10.5 million has been budgeted for the electrification of Portion 10 of Farm 37. Both portions 10 and 11 of Farm 37 will yield 727 erven of which 677 are residential,” Hoaeb noted.

He added that N.dollars 26.7 million has been budgeted for the development of Narraville Extension 8 and is expected to yield 81 erven of which 71 erven are residential erven and N.dollars 11.5 million has been budgeted for, for the development of Extension 3 Meersig and is expected to yield about 94 erven, of which 86 are residential erven.

Service delivery-related projects take up a portion of N.dollars 11 million, and involves amongst others the implementation, upgrading and replacement of water and sewer infrastructure, planning and construction of a new wastewater treatment plant.

Meanwhile, N.dollars 577 million was budgeted for operational costs with expected expenditure recorded for the same amount, excluding estimated non-cash income and expenditure of N.dollars 64 million and N.dollars 214 million respectively.

The council has also announced a 5 per cent average increase for water, sewerage and refuse and 3 per cent for rates and taxes respectively for the current financial year.

No tariff adjustments on these items were proposed for the past consecutive two financial years - June 2021 and 2022.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

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NACC to monitor competitiveness in property valuation

The Namibian Competition Commission (NACC) says structural barriers exist for newly qualified property valuers to enter the market due to the absence of the Namibian Council for the Property Valuers Profession.

The NaCC in a media statement said it received a complaint from a group of property valuers who alleged that four commercial banks’ actions create barriers to entry for external valuers who are not part of these banks’ property valuers’ panels.

The complaint alleged that the current market conditions are not conducive to fair competition, amongst others because banks require property valuers to have prior experience before they can be listed on their list of approved valuers.

“This makes it difficult for newly qualified valuers to enter the market as this enlisting is the gateway to acquiring the required experience,” the NaCC said.

It further said the absence of the council has led to the banks employing their own quality assurance measures as risk mitigation when it comes to property valuations. These measures are in the form of enlistment requirements that independent property valuers must comply with in order to perform property valuation work on behalf of the banks.

Once operationalised, the council will serve as a central industry requirements determinant, in terms of both registration and designation of property valuers, as well as the education requirements which will be applicable to all prospective valuers.

“In the absence of the council, market participants are principally the determinants of such requirements, which vary according to each market participant, and as such are alleged to currently impede the growth and entry into the said market,” it read.

The competition commission said it will be monitoring industry developments and that it reserves the right to launch a formal investigation if it finds any evidence of anti-competitive practices.

The commission said it has also, by way of an advisory opinion, engaged the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform as the custodian of the Property Valuers Profession Act No.7 of 2012, with a proposal on how to provide effective redress.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

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Land access a major barrier to home ownership: Namubes

Swakopmund Mayor Dina Namubes has highlighted residential land access as the biggest barrier to home ownership not only in Swakopmund, but in the entire Namibia.

The mayor was speaking on Friday at the ground-breaking ceremony of Phase 3 of the Build Together programme, where the construction of 80 houses is anticipated in Swakopmund’s Mondesa Extension 7.

The houses are part of the 150 erven approved by the council for the programme in 2017, from which 70 were already constructed.

According to the Namubes, Council experienced delays in the construction of the remaining 80 houses due to the cumbersome Procurement Act requirements and high construction costs as quoted by contractors.

“As a result, we had to obtain ministerial approval from the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development to exempt the Build Together programme from that procurement, until a suitable contractor was found. After several consultations and requests for quotations, it was resolved that beneficiaries find their own contactors, who will then be vetted by Engineering and Planning Services for eligibility prior to constructing the houses,” the mayor noted.

She added that the houses will all be contracted to a value of N.dollars 80 000, which each beneficiary will treat as a loan to be paid back in instalments.

The contractors, represented by Herberth Aebeb, expressed their commitment to complete the project with the limited resources at their disposal.

“We would like, through this project, for the Swakopmund Municipality to put us on testing ground and consider us whenever this type of work is available as we do not concentrate much on making money, but more on availing ourselves and assisting the affected communities,” Aebeb noted.

The contractors made a commitment to complete the project within five months.

The beneficiaries through Janet Frederiks could not contain their joy and gratitude, with some noting that their journeys to acquiring their own homes date back as far as 2005.

“Most of our compatriots are no longer here with us to finally witness this great milestone, but we should applaud the government and more especially the Swakopmund Municipality for availing this portion of land for us to build our own dwellings.”

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

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Namibian children’s rights should be protected online: Harker

Every Namibian child’s rights should be protected online, especially given the inherent threats of the digital environment.

These were the remarks of Heather Harker, children’s advocate in the Ombudsman’s Office, in honour of Day of the African Child, which was observed on Friday under the theme ‘Rights of the Child in the Digital Environment.’

Harker in a statement said one of the good outcomes of the COVID-19 epidemic is the efficiency and benefits of using the internet to work, educate, and interact with loved ones.

The internet provides numerous advantages for youngsters but can, however, provide a remote environment that exposes youngsters to several threats.

“Educators and caretakers/parents have the added responsibility to protect children in the invisible world that is the internet,” she said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

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Challenges along way despite wave of optimism (AHK survey )

In spite of a wave of optimism after four years into the COVID-19 pandemic, managers of enterprises members of the Tunisian-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK Tunisia) laid emphasis on a string of crises and difficulties which are worsening the situation and blurring visibility. This is the main finding of a survey titled the Situation and Prospects of Member Enterprises in Tunisia 2022/2024.

This annual survey polled over 150 AHK member enterprises, branches and subsidiaries last April; it was presented Friday by AHK President Ibrahim Debache and Director General Jörn Bousselmi.

The survey demonstrated optimism as 82% of enterprises recovered their pre-crisis activity level, while 18% reported a decline of over 5% compared to the pre-crisis levels.

The development outlook for polled businesses is satisfactory for 49% and quite good for 45%; prospects are gloomy for 6%.

More than 75% of enterprises forecast stability (39%) or growth (38%) of their investments, the AHK said.

Most of these enterprises expect they would keep the same number of staff in 2023, while 30% intend to increase the number of employees.

Figures show 42% of polled German enterprises have the intention to beef up their staff.

//Uncertainty about economic policy, biggest hazard//

For these enterprises, the accumulation of crises makes the future uncertain and shows the seriousness of challenges.

The majority of Tunisian and German enterprises said they had difficulties with Tunisian authorities, mainly the administration and customs. Likewise, uncertainty about economic policy was seen as the biggest hazard for surveyed businesses .

The 2021 survey revealed that Tunisian customs and the Central Bank of Tunisia were on the top of the list of authorities when it comes to challenges facing member enterprises.

The majority of businesses said to be pessimistic about inflation and expect a depreciation of the Tunisian dinar next year.

Three main factors are seen as hazardous to economic development: socio-political stability, energy prices and the prices of raw materials.

Over 70% of German businesses think socio-political instability may slow down economic development considerably.

// Tunisian destination still attractive//

For the AHK, there are still opportunities that can be tapped into as Tunisia has several assets that would foster its economic recovery. For more than 70% of polled businesses, geographic proximity to Europe is a real opportunity.

Qualified labour and high-quality production and services at very competitive prices are an additional asset.

There are nearly 280 German enterprises operating in Tunisia and employing more than 90,000 people.

AHK has 950 member entreprises, including 155 which responded to the poll. 43% of respondents operate in the sector of industry, 22% in distribution and 35% in services.

// Fallouts from the war in Ukraine//

The war in Ukraine took its toll on business activities, 53% of respondents said. Over 60% of polled businesses said they would continue to feel the negative impact of the conflict over the next two years.

The war would generate higher energy and raw material costs for 29.75% of pollees, disruption in supply chains for 20.25%, a shortage in raw materials and input for 15.19% and a drop in orders and production for 13.29% for polled enterprises.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse