2008-03-11Staff Report 2 "By Anna Ingwafa OSHUUSHE The lion's share of the 2008/9 national budget allocated to the education sector is testimony that the Government wants to ensure that every child has enough study material, said the Prime Minister Nahas Angula. He made the remarks on Saturday at Oshuushe in Okaku Constituency in the Oshana Region. The Premier who addressed ruling Swapo Party supporters, said young people should embrace the peace and tranquility that the Swapo Government brought to the country and urged students to study hard. He said Namibia is endowed with a lot of minerals and natural resources of which a handful are exploited by foreigners to their benefit because Namibians lack the knowledge to make the most of these resources. ""Youths must study hard in order to exploit these resources and share them equitably, in view of the fact that Namibia is a big country with a small population. Let us build the country and make sure no one goes hungry,"" he said. Angula reminded people that in two weeks' time, the country celebrates 18 years of independence. This shows that Namibia is a mature country. While enjoying peace and stability, the nation should look back and recognise those who sacrificed their lives. ""We should remain steadfast, there are reactionaries who want to forget these sacrifices and if we do so, then we are betraying those who sacrificed their lives for this country,"" he said. He added that future generations should be told about the heroes and heroines who brought about independence and that praise should be given to Founding Father Dr Sam Nujoma, Andimba Toivo ya Toivo and President Hifikepunye Pohamba for their visionary leadership. ""Peace is the root of all good things and we praise the Swapo-led Government under Nujoma leadership for building a strong foundation, where we should build as we are now fighting diseases and poverty,"" he said. He said for the past 18 years, Namibians enjoyed peace and tranquility, which should be guarded jealously. He reminded people that the enemies that Swapo defeated have not yet forgiven them or accepted defeat. They are looking for loopholes to divide the country on ethnic lines and rule it once again. In the name of democracy, they are trying to come up with a lot of political parties, a trend that the Premier said is typical of Africans where everyone wants to be a leader. ""We must be on our guard that this African disease of every tribe has its own political party does not penetrate Namibia,"" warned Angula. He said Namibia faces challenges of hunger, poverty and HIV/Aids. These challenges can be defeated and overcome only when the country is united. Among those who attended the rally was Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy and Councillor of Okaku Constituency, Henock ya Kasita, Oshana Governor, Clemens Kashuupulwa and Mayor of Ongwediva and Swapo Coordinator in Oshana Region, Erastus Uutoni. Prior to the Swapo meeting at Oshuushe, the Prime Minister visited flood victims at the Ongwediva Trade Fair and the bridge connecting Ompundja village to Oshakati, which was destroyed by floods. He also went to inspect the new site for flood victims near Namibia Breweries at Oshakati. " 2008-03-11Staff Report 2
