National

A challenging year 

In modern times, learned societies play a pivotal role in the creation and dissemination of knowledge in various fields of specialisation.

Gender equality minister Doreen Sioka has expressed concern over the spate of early child marriages and teenage pregnancies in the country. The two Kavango regions reported seven cases of early child marriages between May and October this year, while 29 cases of teenage pregnancies were recorded in hospitals.

A 16-year-old girl was reportedly raped by a relative early this week at a village in the Okalongo constituency of the Omusati region.

An Okahandja resident who is currently serving a 20-year sentence for murdering his love rival is appealing his conviction and sentence in the High Court.

KATIMA MULILO – Mothers who receive their maintenance money at the Katima Mulilo Magistrate’s Court have expressed frustration over the payment process. Some mothers, who spoke to New Era but didn’t want to be named for fear of victimisation, stated that the delay is having a negative impact on their children.

Namibian School Feeding Programme tenders were renewed seven times consecutively without the awarding authority assessing the performance of the service providers, auditor general Junias Kandjeke has found.

In efforts to tackle structural inequality within the Namibian economy, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) president McHenry Venaani said there is a need to establish a basic income grant (BIG) for unemployed Namibians between the ages of 18 to 59 in order to suppress poverty levels.

Namibia’s commissioner of refugees Likius Valombola was reckless about the consequences when he fired two shots in the direction of persons on a street and killed former student leader Helao Ndjaba in May 2018.

President Hage Geingob, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Namibian Defence Force, yesterday ordered the country’s military to be ready for war at “all times”.