Lahja Nashuuta
Swapo lawmaker Willem Amutenya has urged the government to create opportunities for informal and small-scale businesses, particularly for young Namibians.
In his maiden speech, Amutenya highlighted the necessity to safeguard existing job opportunities from foreign enterprises, while advocating stricter supervision of foreign employment.
He also suggested the government conducts inspections to evaluate the quantity of foreign workers employed, their credentials, and whether skills are being transferred to Namibians.
“The influx of foreign professionals into the employment sector must be closely monitored and regulated through cooperated efforts by the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), the Office of the Labour Commissioner, and the Immigration Control Board. We must prioritise our young people in the job market, which is critical for closing the unemployment gap,” he said.
Amutenya also expressed concern about the increasing number of foreign-owned businesses in rural regions, asserting that they undermine local entrepreneurs by selling goods and providing services at lower prices.
“Our policies should prevent foreign nationals, such as Chinese or Indian traders, from selling items like nails and ropes at rural markets in places like Lihongo or Pusa villages in the Kavango West area. The retail sector should be reserved for locals to reduce unfair competition,” said the parliamentarian.
He suggested that Parliament enhance protection measures for local businesses through “local preference guidelines” and specific regulations aimed at boosting domestic capabilities. He also called for a review of the Local Authorities Act to allow more flexible trading hours for open markets and ease restrictions on vendors, thus invigorating the informal economy.
Amutenya commended the government’s initiatives to foster economic growth but underscored that current development strategies largely neglect youth entrepreneurs and do not adequately tackle unemployment.
With Namibia’s youth unemployment rate at 44.4%, a figure Amutenya finds alarming, he remarked: “We often say, ‘Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.’ Despite educating our youth through numerous training programmes, we have not provided them with the resources they need to succeed.”
He advocated renewed emphasis on value-addition and sustainable economic inclusion.
Amutenya welcomed President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s dedication to sports development, which included a N$200 million budget for building sports facilities. However, he urged that young entrepreneurs and professionals not only engage in but also lead these projects.
“Now is the time for our local architects, quantity surveyors from Nust, project managers from Unam, engineers from the Unam José Eduardo dos Santos campus, bricklayers from Okakarara VTC, plumbers from Zambezi VTC and Kayec in Ondangwa, along with landscapers from Unam Ogongo Campus, to take part in these developments,” he stated.
He added: “Even general suppliers from the so-called ‘school of hustle,’ sports promoters, entertainers like Zuluboy from Onayena, and merchandisers must be involved in the process.”
He stressed the necessity of professionalising sports education within the national curriculum, ensuring that TVET institutions and universities regard it as a respectable discipline.
Amutenya called for a re-evaluation of the term “informal sector,” advocating more dignified terminology that accurately reflects the essential role these businesses play in the national economy.
“This label disadvantages many dedicated Namibians by restricting their access to broader business ecosystems,” he contended.
-lnashuuta@nepc.com.na