Paheja Siririka
Pricilla Mukokobi
The New Era last week embarked on a stakeholders’ engagement session in Lüderitz on the margins of the Miss Teen and Miss Namibia beauty pageants to familiarise itself with the prospects of the town, and seek ways of covering more compelling stories.
New Era CEO Christof Maletsky said it is important for the publication to engage with its stakeholders, adding that Lüderitz is a significant town in many aspects.
“This is the strategic hub in terms of oil, green hydrogen, fish and many other things. This is where things are happening in the next 15 or 20 years, and we need to align ourselves with what is happening,” he stated.
Maletsky reiterated: “We need to align ourselves as a transmission belt of information to what is happening, and that is why we are here.”
The CEO stated that the publication will continue to engage stakeholders to cover as much ground as possible. The executive team also had a similar caucus in the coastal town of Walvis Bay recently.
Businessman Simon Haindongo said Lüderitz has a lot of potential, but there is not enough awareness of the various activities in the town to sensitise Namibians about the role the town can play in the development agenda.
“If you put the developments of the town in New Era, the young people will be enlightened and well-informed. In this way, the circulation of the paper will also grow. It is important to communicate the activities of the town through the press. This is the third invitation I am getting from New Era, and I am excited about the collaboration,” stated Haindongo.
He is the first person to sell the New Era newspaper in Lüderitz, further complimenting the publication for its professional reporting and perceptive interaction, stating that there are many opportunities and stories to tell from Lüderitz.
During the event, the CEO of Lüderitz Waterfront Development Company Fluksman Samuehl expressed his appreciation for the good storytelling in the publication, and suggested that it considers dedicating a page to public enterprises.
“We are prepared to support the idea. Let’s hold hands, and assist the State-owned enterprises,” he said.
He said Lüderitz has many stories to tell the country. Their contributions to putting the town in the spotlight are numerous, and they have a lot to say about the waterfront and its achievements.
The collaboration impressed other companies, such as the National Fishing Corporation of Namibia (Fishcor). Company secretary Joyce Uises said Fishcor has bounced back and performed admirably over the last few years.
“The business can now afford to pay its staff salaries. We are doing well as a company, now that we have moved past Fishrot,” she said.
She added that Fishcor rebranded, had a strategic plan, was experiencing success and that the moment was right to share those experiences with the world. Acting general manager of finance at Fishcor Risto Daniel said the spirit that the New Era executive came with is impressive.
“Not everyone is aware that Fishcor owns SeaFlower. We have a large team now that is doing so well to build the company, and we are happy about it, and want to continue doing well and telling our successful stories,” she said.
“There is no unity in public entities, and we are happy that New Era took this step to come to us and hear our stories, and we are looking forward to telling our stories to the whole country,” he said.
-priscillamukokobi@gmail.com
-psiririka@nepc.com.na