Nuusita Ashipala
Outapi-Governor of Omusati Region, Erginus Endjala, wants the government to introduce birth incentives in order to boost the country’s economy.
According to Endjala, the birth incentives would encourage women to bear children and subsequently increase the country’s population and thereby attract investors to the country.
He said many investors are reluctant to come to the country given its small population claiming there is no market.
“Investors always ask what they will come to do in a country with a small population like ours and that is why we need the birth incentives so that our market could be lucrative,” he suggested.
Endjala made the remarks recently at the opening of the maternity shelter at Outapi.
Currently, the government only gives grants to orphans and vulnerable children (OVC), pensioners and people with disabilities.
The governor said birth incentives in the country would encourage more mothers to bear children and as a result attract more investors to the country.
He said in the end, there would be a subsequent growth in employment, thereby, reducing the unemployment and poverty levels in the country.
The unemployment rate in the country currently stands at 34 percent while the poverty level is at 18 percent.
He said the move should be seen through the economic lens, as there are great benefits for the country.
He said Namibia needs to be in a position to attract
factories.
“For argument’s sake, if a company like Nike is to come here, do we really have a market? Investors need assurance that there are customers for their products because they will still be forced to sell their goods outside the country,” said Endjala.