Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called for the inclusion of the sport and creative industries in Namibia’s economic sector to address unemployment.
She made these remarks during a recent dinner hosted by her office to welcome the senior national men’s football team, the Brave Warriors, back home from the Council of Southern, African Football Associations (Cosafa) Cup held in South Africa where they finished runners-up.
While addressing those in attendance, the vice president said her comments should not be viewed as a political campaign.
“I have been conducting research, and I welcome any challenges if what I’m saying is incorrect. I strongly believe that sport and the creative industry should be recognised as integral parts of our economy to generate more employment opportunities for young people involved in these fields,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
She added that agriculture, mining, tourism and fisheries are currently prioritised, but sport and creative industries should be given equal importance.
“Given N$8 billion that I will have to demand at one point, every Namibian constituency will be able to have a standard sports field and by standard I mean every sports field will have a soccer pitch, netball court, basketball and volleyball court,” she said.
She stated that N$8 billion would enable the construction of a category two sports complex for every regional capital, and five category three stadiums across the country.
“After consulting others, I have learnt that sports can significantly contribute to our economy and the social well-being of our people. I am committed to this decision, whether it takes one, two or three years to come to fruition,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
A system to standardise the classification of football stadiums in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) competitions has been introduced. Stadiums are divided into four categories, based on their facilities and capabilities.
Category two stadiums are suitable for hosting the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations’ qualifiers, all African Nations Cup youth competitions, the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), Champions League Preliminary Round, and the Men’s Confederation Cup Preliminary Round.
Category three stadiums, on the other hand, can host International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and Afcon qualifiers, as well as the All-African Champions League finals.
-Nampa