ONGWEDIVA – President Hifikepunye Pohamba believes education, training and capacity building are the main pillars for accelerating economic development, creating employment and combating poverty.
Pohamba made these remarks on Saturday at the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair (OATF) whose theme this year is “Imparting Knowledge, Enhancing Capacity”. He said the theme recognises the importance of the linkages between education and training.
Pohamba said the focus on imparting knowledge and skills and capacity building must remain central pillars of the national development agenda.
“It has been demonstrated in many countries around the world that education and training are critical factors in accelerating socio-economic development,” said Pohamba.
He said Namibia needs an educated society and an educated workforce to achieve the goals of expanding the manufacturing base and industrialisation towards Vision 2030.
“It is important to expand vocational training programmes to equip our young people with practical skills and knowledge. Armed with such skills and knowledge, our people will be able to start their own businesses, or to be readily recruited in the labour market,” stated Pohamba.
He said young people should equip themselves with plumbing, bricklaying, welding and electrician skills among others to fill the gaps and tackle concerns that many public facilities are falling into a state of disrepair.
“We need them as part of the maintenance teams within the civil service and also as entrepreneurs in the private sector who can be contracted by public institutions such as the central government, regional councils and local authorities to keep our facilities such as this hall where the Ongwediva Trade Fair takes place every year, in a good state of repair,” said Pohamba.
The president also applauded entrepreneurs for being job creators and bringing services close to the people, adding that businesses create jobs and not the government.
Pohamba was pleased with the pace of business development in the area, saying that during the colonial era there were only four shops in the four northern regions.
He said the development fruits reaped are a result of the growing business population.