Victoria Kaapanda
The Ondangwa Town Council has announced that their 2023 trade and industrial exhibition is scheduled to take place between 2 and 6 May.
The Ondangwa Trade and Industrial Exhibition (OTIE) has not taken place during the last three years because of the restrictions enforced to curb Covid-19.
The council’s spokesperson Petrina Shitalangaho said the main event is normally preceded by a fundraising gala dinner and an official launch, which this year is planned to take place on 18 March in Ondangwa.
“We have not hosted the Ondangwa Trade and Industrial Exhibition since 2020 due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Council has decided to host the 10th Ondangwa Trade and Industrial Exhibition this year, planned for five days. This coincides with the 10th anniversary celebration of this important annual event on our calendar,” she stated. The council had initially organised the show in 2020, but it was called off in line with the president’s directive that mass gatherings should be avoided in reaction to the coronavirus outbreak.
Shitalangaho said this was done as a precaution to stop or minimise the further spread of the virus. “We could not compromise the health
and safety of our exhibitors,” she added. The exhibition’s specific objectives are to raise funds in order to boost enterprises and ensure business sustainability in Ondangwa and the region as a whole.
She said it also assists the business community in networking, marketing and promoting their products and services. In particular, the exhibition will provide an excellent platform for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) which were impacted by the pandemic, to rise again.
– vkaapanda@nepc.com.na