Tweya defends land sale
Industrialisation minister Tjekero Tweya has defended the sale of land to a Dubai-linked company through the newly established Namibia Industrial Development Agency (Nida).
This comes after a report stated that Tweya had sold off a portion of state land to the firm without following proper procedures. This is the second time a land deal involving Tweya comes under question.
In 2018, he was forced to cancel the purchase of land in Angola in a deal worth N$117 million in the Viana industrial park in Luanda. That deal, as with the current one, features local businessman Titus Nakuumba as one of the proponents.
“The current transaction in relation to the !Nara Free Economic Zone development entity remains in terms of the proposal submitted as part of this procurement process and thus forms part of a carefully assessed commercial proposal to which Nida forms an integral part,” said Tweya.
A law firm representing the Dubai-linked firm said the transaction involving the sale of the land did not contravene sections of the State Finance Act.
“The Act provides the approval requirements to be fulfilled for purposes of the disposal of immovable property by Nida. For purposes of the transfer of the project property to the project company, the ministerial consent fulfilled such approval requirements,” Ellis Shilengudwa Incorporated said. “No further consent is required from the ministry of finance for purposes of transferring the project property.”
!Nara Namib Free Economic Zone is an entity made up of Nida, Bigenkuumba Infrastructure Services and Afrikuumba Development One.
Nakuumba – who played a key role in roping in DP World – is a shareholder in both Bigenkuumba and Afrikuumba. The three partners refused to reveal the transfer fee, citing confidentiality restrictions.
DP World and !Nara Namib Free Economic Industrial Zone are developing a free economic zone.
OGONE TLHAGE
This comes after a report stated that Tweya had sold off a portion of state land to the firm without following proper procedures. This is the second time a land deal involving Tweya comes under question.
In 2018, he was forced to cancel the purchase of land in Angola in a deal worth N$117 million in the Viana industrial park in Luanda. That deal, as with the current one, features local businessman Titus Nakuumba as one of the proponents.
“The current transaction in relation to the !Nara Free Economic Zone development entity remains in terms of the proposal submitted as part of this procurement process and thus forms part of a carefully assessed commercial proposal to which Nida forms an integral part,” said Tweya.
A law firm representing the Dubai-linked firm said the transaction involving the sale of the land did not contravene sections of the State Finance Act.
“The Act provides the approval requirements to be fulfilled for purposes of the disposal of immovable property by Nida. For purposes of the transfer of the project property to the project company, the ministerial consent fulfilled such approval requirements,” Ellis Shilengudwa Incorporated said. “No further consent is required from the ministry of finance for purposes of transferring the project property.”
!Nara Namib Free Economic Zone is an entity made up of Nida, Bigenkuumba Infrastructure Services and Afrikuumba Development One.
Nakuumba – who played a key role in roping in DP World – is a shareholder in both Bigenkuumba and Afrikuumba. The three partners refused to reveal the transfer fee, citing confidentiality restrictions.
DP World and !Nara Namib Free Economic Industrial Zone are developing a free economic zone.
OGONE TLHAGE
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