Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Tweya lashes Cabinet colleagues … questions restrictive policies hampering industrialisation

Home Front Page News Tweya lashes Cabinet colleagues … questions restrictive policies hampering industrialisation

WALVIS BAY – Industrialisation minister Tjekero Tweya on Monday lashed out “at the powers that be” for enforcing restrictive government policies that do not inspire investor confidence. 
Tweya said selective policies are in place to encourage and boost industrialisation and manufacturing so that development is felt across the country and not only in selected towns. This, he said, will enable investors doing business in remote areas such as Tsumkwe to receive incentives based on where they invest. 

“However, this particular section of the Namibian industrialisation policy is being held hostage by others. It is, therefore, my moral obligation to call on those that are in charge of the finances of this country to start investing in this country instead of taking money elsewhere. If I don’t say it, nobody will say it.  It is my moral obligation to say that and I am not here for a popularity contest; I am here to address the interest of the country,” said Tweya. 

He added that while encouraging growth at home, it should be a moral obligation on the part of the government to allow investors to grow and incentivised on their investments. 

“But the trend now is very discouraging, as we start taxing them even before they get a return on their investment. We kill them before their start. What type of policies are these?” Tweya questioned. 
The minister was delivering a keynote address during the launch of the new Walvis Bay salt refiners wash plant on Monday.  According to Tweya, not all ministries are moving and working together as it is claimed in the media. 

“However, our actions speak differently. Can we, for a change, support the private sector and give the necessary room to do business in the form of incentives. Either we are committed to this country by creating unique investment incentives for all investors or declare ourselves irrelevant,” Tweya said. 

The minister added Namibia would not achieve Vision 2030 in ten years time if obstacles impeding growth were not removed. 

“Therefore, we must be bold enough to remove obstacles keeping us from moving faster; they are in the system. Those that are guilty know who they are, and we must identify them. Some of these things are straightforward to understand. Hence, we need change,” he said. 

The former information minister also urged Namibians to demand from those who are in charge of the country’s finances to explain why the country is losing billions of dollars when the local manufacturing industry can prevent such money from leaving. 

“The time has also come to demand from them to explain why the private sector in Namibia is looking for investment opportunities outside the borders instead of their own country. We either take drastic and determined action to change the current policy structure for the betterment of the lives of all Namibians or we should be brave enough to declare ourselves irrelevant as an investment destination.”

-edeklerk@nepc.com.na