Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on Tuesday urged Namib Desert Diamonds (Namdia) staff not to be tempted with dishonesty simply because of the precious commodity they handle.
“You are given this responsibility because we trust you and don’t allow the trust to be betrayed by anybody… you know how people feel about diamonds. It is only a trustworthy person who can be brought closer to diamonds and you are in one of those fields,” said Nandi-Ndaitwah during an official visit to Namdia headquarters in Windhoek.
During the visit, the deputy prime minister, who doubles as international relations minister, was briefed on the company’s operations, challenges and the way forward.
This was Nandi-Ndaitwah’s first visit to the national diamond marketing and sales company since its inception in 2016.
During the visit, she noted it is imperative for staff members to work with fairness, honesty and commitment. According to her, Namibia is faced with many challenges that need urgent attention.
“We have so many challenges that we need to address in our country, unemployment among our young people is real. Besides all the programmes we put in place, our population is also growing. We must work with dedication, so that we make sure the programmes we are putting up will be able to take care of our population as it’s growing,” she said.
The deputy PM added that Namibia now is striving to gain maximum benefits from her natural resources, including diamonds, to help fight socio economic challenges. She commended Namdia for its transparency in operations and for hitting the right market while being competitive.
The mining industry accounts for about 10% of gross domestic product (GDP), 40% of export revenue and 7% of annual government revenue.
Namdia, as a diamond marketing company that is 100% owned by the government, recorded revenue of N$409.2 million for the 2022/23 financial year. The company also contributed N$625.7 million in taxes and export levies.
In addition, a record dividend declaration of N$150 million was presented to government as sole shareholder for the 2021/22 financial year.
The diamond marketing company purchased 222 978 carats, representing an increase of 53.8% compared to the previous year.
The 2021/22 report stipulated sales revenue increased by 78.7% to US$128 million as well as 36 new clients selected for the 2022/23 to 2025/26 financial years.