Swapo elders weigh in on Namibian natural resources
The debate over the ownership of natural and mineral resources in Namibia continues unabated, with the Swapo Party Elders' Council (SPEC) also weighing in on the matter recently, announcing that the issue will be a topic in the election campaign.
After large oil reserves were reported along Namibia’s southern coast at the end of December 2022, the now-deceased former president Hage Geingob remarked that these resources “belong to those who found them.”
Meanwhile, mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo has suggested that the oil and gas reserves belong to the Namibian state. Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has been even clearer, recently announcing that a law will soon be enacted to affirm Namibia’s ownership of the oil and gas resources.
Living resources
The influential Swapo Party Elders' Council referred to Article 95 of the Namibian Constitution in a press statement on Tuesday. This article states that the government should use “living resources” sustainably for the benefit of the people.
“We are pleased to share the Swapo vision for the next five years with the Namibian people, focusing on economic development. Our (election) campaign motto is: ‘Unity in Diversity, Utilisation of Natural Resources, Empowerment of Youth, and Sustainable Development,’” the council announced.
Creating jobs
Namibia is rich in natural resources that could be used for the benefit of the majority of the population, the council noted.
“For this reason, our election campaign theme is shaped by the necessity for the Swapo Party to continue fulfilling its constitutional mandate regarding mineral processing or value creation and ownership of our economic resources,” SPEC secretary Mukwaita Shanyengana, who is also a special advisor to the vice president, said.
“We advocate for government institutions to allocate specific financial resources in their development budgets for creating jobs for youth and for economic empowerment. We believe in a fair distribution of our country’s resources through the utilisation of our natural and mineral resources," he stressed.
According to the council, Nandi-Ndaitwah should be elected as Namibia’s new president at the end of November. “She supports value creation and processing as key strategies for job creation, while also recognising the importance of strategic mineral resources and calling for their protection through special measures, policies and laws.”
After large oil reserves were reported along Namibia’s southern coast at the end of December 2022, the now-deceased former president Hage Geingob remarked that these resources “belong to those who found them.”
Meanwhile, mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo has suggested that the oil and gas reserves belong to the Namibian state. Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has been even clearer, recently announcing that a law will soon be enacted to affirm Namibia’s ownership of the oil and gas resources.
Living resources
The influential Swapo Party Elders' Council referred to Article 95 of the Namibian Constitution in a press statement on Tuesday. This article states that the government should use “living resources” sustainably for the benefit of the people.
“We are pleased to share the Swapo vision for the next five years with the Namibian people, focusing on economic development. Our (election) campaign motto is: ‘Unity in Diversity, Utilisation of Natural Resources, Empowerment of Youth, and Sustainable Development,’” the council announced.
Creating jobs
Namibia is rich in natural resources that could be used for the benefit of the majority of the population, the council noted.
“For this reason, our election campaign theme is shaped by the necessity for the Swapo Party to continue fulfilling its constitutional mandate regarding mineral processing or value creation and ownership of our economic resources,” SPEC secretary Mukwaita Shanyengana, who is also a special advisor to the vice president, said.
“We advocate for government institutions to allocate specific financial resources in their development budgets for creating jobs for youth and for economic empowerment. We believe in a fair distribution of our country’s resources through the utilisation of our natural and mineral resources," he stressed.
According to the council, Nandi-Ndaitwah should be elected as Namibia’s new president at the end of November. “She supports value creation and processing as key strategies for job creation, while also recognising the importance of strategic mineral resources and calling for their protection through special measures, policies and laws.”
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