Windhoek
President Hage Geingob is scheduled this morning to sign into law three important pieces of legislation at State House – including one that makes provision for the appointment of a permanent secretary for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
State House yesterday confirmed that President Geingob is to sign into law the Anti-Corruption Amendment Act, the long-awaited Namibia Investment Promotion Act and the Business and Intellectual Property Authority Act.
Amendments to the Anti-Corruption Act were necessitated by the appointment of a permanent secretary at the ACC, with Geingob expected to provide details on what necessitated this radical step.
The amendments also prompted changes to the title of the ACC head, from director to director-general. He or she is to be deputised by the deputy director-general – titles that the current top two at the ACC, Paulus Noa and Erna van der Merwe, have already started using.
The new Investment Act, which was initially set to come into effect in November last year, is expected to bring about fundamental changes to the country’s trade and investment arena. In line with this, additional transparency procedures for foreign investors are also expected to be announced by President Geingob today.
President Geingob is also expected to confirm that the Business and Intellectual Property Authority Act will create a fully-fledged State-owned agency: the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA).
BIPA will serve as the central point for the registration, administration and protection of businesses, commercial and industrial property rights, as well as the legal depository of information, documents and data required.
BIPA will further be tasked with the provision of general advisory services on business registration and intellectual property rights.