By Petronella Sibeene
WINDHOEK
Inevitable power outages could have serious repercussions on production, which in turn could stunt economic growth.
Both the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) and the Chamber of Mines in Namibia said the power shortage leading to anticipated load-shedding countrywide, in the wake of power cuts from South Africa, is worrisome.
Chief Executive Officer of the NCCI, Tarah Shaanika, said there is need to find a solution to mitigate the current power crisis urgently.
“Businesses are likely to be affected. It means there will be no new mines opening or any other big project,” bemoaned Shaanika.
He added that the ongoing power situation will slow down the rate of investment in the country, which will consequently affect the growth of the economy.
Shaanika says it is time the private sector considers investing in the energy sector.
NCCI and NamPower are scheduled to meet next week Tuesday to discuss the impact of power shortages on the business sector.
General Manager of the Chamber of Mines of Namibia, Veston Malango, said the power crisis is a serious matter that is likely to disrupt production.
“We depend on power to be productive and time has come for us to invest in power generation. As long as we rely on a good percentage of imported power, we remain vulnerable,” Malango added.
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