Windhoek
The National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) wants government to set up State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in the construction industry.
Nudo deputy secretary general Vetaruhe Kandorozu said after studying the construction industry for some time Nudo realised that most companies in the industry are from China or North Korea and are government-owned. “As a progressive party we have realised that there is a need for the government to start a construction company that will participate in the mega construction activities of our country,” Kandorozu said.
Kandorozu, who is also the Okakarara Constituency Councillor, said the Chinese currency is strong because SOEs from China involved in the construction sector have been milking the Namibian government. “China is giving money to construct railways in Africa. Where is this money coming is from [if the] profit derives from Africa?” he asked.
He said there is a need for the government to create a construction company to benefit from multimillion dollar State tenders without participating in any procurement process. Kandorozu said this would help keep millions of dollars in the country that would otherwise have been sent to Asia and thus boost Namibia’s revenue base.
“We’re not going to give the job opportunities to expatriates, as what is currently happening,” he said, adding that “Chinese companies are bringing in their workers, equipment and building material, while our people remain unemployed or work under the supervision of an Asian who sometimes does not know the job very well.
“If we bring this service back into the hands of Namibians it will contribute immensely to job creation, service delivery and contribute to the total gross domestic product (GDP) of the country.”
By doing so, Kandorozu said, government would also reduce the amount of money going out of the country.
“Just imagine, if Neckartal Dam was given to a company owned by our government that money could have circulated inside the country. The construction of many ministerial head offices under construction could have boosted the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), and many other projects that were already completed or those currently underway.” He said Namibia’s independent economists would be able to calculate how much capital Namibia has exported to other parts of the world through government construction projects since 1990.
“This [proposed] company will construct projects, such as the new parliament, new airport, Namport, power stations, mass housing, government parks in different regions,” and many other major construction projects all over Namibia,” he said, and called on government to consult stakeholders in the economic sector, including the Social Security Commission, trade unions and the Namibia Chamber Commerce and Industry on the way forward.
“As a country we can’t keep on dishing out money to other governments through their companies that are participating in our procurement process,” he said, adding that: “Those Asian companies find it difficult even to commit to social responsibility. They need approval from Beijing in order assist the community here.”