OUTAPI - Deputy Minister of Industrialisation and Trade Verna Sinimbo last Wednesday and Thursday undertook a two-day visit to the Omusati region.
This is part of her planned activities to familiarise and acquaint herself with the capital projects spearheaded by the Namibia Industrial Development Agency (NIDA), which is a business wing of the trade ministry.
Sinimbo was not pleased with the fact that the State-owned SME parks had no water for the tenants and their customers.
“While visiting SME parks, which are being managed by our agency, NIDA, the majority of tenants at these facilities expressed dissatisfaction with the water shortages at the parks,’’ she said.
“The tenants indicated that it is a setback because they have not been receiving water since October 2021, which is making it hard for their businesses to operate smoothly,” she noted.
Amongst the SME parks visited are, Outapi, Okalongo, Oshikuku and Twapandula Community Market in Ruacana and Okahao SME park.
“I am happy to observe all the various economic activities taking place at the SME/industrial parks, as the facilities seem to be fully occupied and busy with tenants trading and providing various services to the public, communities of Omusati and the country at large,’’ she noted.
Since her appointment, the deputy minister undertook regional familiarisation visits to 10 regions across the country, with Omusati being the 11th. She commended women for their business activities.
“It is good to take note that our Namibian women are hard at work and are contributing towards the economy of our nation. Women form the majority of the business personalities occupying and operating businesses at the SME parks. We must continue to provide support to the informal traders and protect their rights,’’ she said.
Sinimbo, when she visited the Omahenene Border Post SME park project, expressed disappointment as the project has been abandoned since 2018 at 90% completion stage. The facility was intended to be utilised by local informal traders to generate income, create employment and improve their livelihoods.
Sinimbo commended the traders for their hard work and dedication and encourage them to continue taking precautionary measures against Covid-19 despite the decrease in infection rates.
She further sensitised the traders about the Empretec Namibia programme, a programme that aims to bring about transformational change in unleashing the growth potential of micro, small, and medium enterprises in Namibia through a competency-based behavioural entrepreneurship training and provision of a bouquet of business advisory services offered by the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade and encouraged them to apply and make good use of the opportunities the government is providing for them.
- jmuyamba@nepc.com.na