Auleria Wakudumo
Oshikuku Town Council hosted a gala dinner over the weekend to raise funds for the upcoming Oshikuku Annual Trade Fair.
The expo is scheduled for 26 October 2024 at the Young Star sports field.
Oshikuku mayor Julia Endjambi during the gala dinner said the trade fair is a platform to market the town to potential investors, create a trading platform for businesses, showcase entrepreneurial innovations, as well as enhance economic activities in town.
“The fair is a promotional platform, but not for profit purpose, which is in line with the council’s mandate of creating a conducive environment for business and investment,” she said.
The theme for this year’s event is ‘Creating Opportunities for Socio-Economic Growth for Investors’.
The theme speaks to council’s aim to attract investments with meaningful impact on the socio-economic development of the town and ultimately, residents’ lives and livelihoods.
Addressing the gala, trade minister Lucia Iipumbu said the government is committed to creating a conductive environment for investment and businesses to thrive by enacting business-friendly policies.
“The benefits of trade fairs and expos are multifaceted to especially entrepreneurs and among others, they provide opportunities for networking, showcasing products, gaining market insights and forging strategic partnerships, all of which can lead to business growth and success,” she highlighted.
Among the donors for the upcoming Oshikuku Trade Fair, FNB donated N$40 000, Kambwa Trading donated N$20 000, while Rani Group of Companies donated N$15 000.
On the same day, the council launched the Oshikuku Town Council’s strategic plan for 2023/24-2027/28 period.
“A strategic plan is a guiding document that will direct and guide council’s operations for the next five years,” Endjambi said.
Through this document, the town council aims to transform Oshikuku into a residential hub of Omusati region. “Considering the fact that Oshikuku town is surrounded by constituencies namely Etayi, Ogongo, Okalongo and Oshikuku, it became a home to young professionals, and the council believes that it can accommodate more by availing residential space for them,” Endjambi said. Iipumbu said people often think of big cities with vast resources and complex challengers when it comes to local governments and strategic planning.
However, “the art of strategic planning takes on a unique and subtly intricate character when applied to small towns,” she said.