Loide Jason
Oshikuku-The Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Chief Samuel Ankama, has implored Namibians to embrace hard work and patriotism as a step to self-sustainability and economic development.
Ankama said this would speed up industrialisation.
He was speaking at Oshikuku in Omusati region at the Workers Day celebration.
The minister expressed concern that despite available opportunities for self-employment most Namibians, especially youth, still depend on the government as a sole source of employment.
Ankama said this trend negatively affects the speed of Namibia industrialising despite government efforts.
He urged Namibians to have the culture of self-confidence in preparation for improved livelihood and encouraged a mutual beneficiation between employers and employees “as this would promote labour relations”.
Ankama stressed the need to respect the Labour Act, saying this would prevent unwarranted labour disputes and strikes, which in turn can harm the growth of the economy.
He encouraged Namibians to remember the sacrifices made by heroes and heroines during the introduction of workers’ unions, which was viciously opposed by the then apartheid South African regime.
Speaking at the same event, Oshikuku Councillor Modestus Amutse said the country can use existing food supply gaps as an opportunity to create employment and increase income per capita.
Amutse said Namibia presents plenty of opportunities in agro-food production and processing to reduce about 80 percent dependency on South Africa.
Amutse said that Namibia’s fishing industry spends millions of dollars in imports of tomato products from other countries for fish canning, which presents an opportunity to Namibians to capitalise on it by producing and establishing tomato agro-processing factories.
He encouraged local farmers to add value to crop production and to regard strengthened cultural crop fields as another means for employment creation and wealth building.