Memory Mutenda
Deputy director of school and community sport in the sports ministry, Irvine Ndjavera has called for more support and exchange of technical knowledge in order to help the Namibian sport fraternity to grow into a profitable and professional industry.
Ndjavera was speaking at the three-day Namibia Sport Expo (NSE) held at the coastal town of Swakopmund, were formalities started with a two-day conference last Thursday and ended with an exhibition and other festivities yesterday.
“It is no exception that the Namibian sport industry needs all the support from stakeholders to grow and equate to other lucrative sport sectors globally,” he said.
Namibia is streamlining the professionalisation of sport and integrating it into its national development plans to develop an industry that can contribute towards the country’s GDP and create employment through the growth of business in sport tourism, sport manufacturing and others, Ndjavera shared.
Ndjavera, along with various speakers, highlighted the massive potential that sport holds and the need for collaboration and support amongst stakeholders in order to realise this potential.
He also urged sports administrators of all sport codes to take governance seriously and account for all investments for the development of sports and athletes.
Chief Administrator at the Namibia Sport Commission (NSC) Freddy Mwiya also spoke at the occasion and said there is a need to grow passion for sports in order to grow the industry and tap the potential that sports have to offer.
This year’s conference covered topics sports including enhancing sports development in Namibia, and the need for collaboration to unlock potential in sports and indigenous sport in a modern world, which highlighted the need to develop cultural sports.
This was the third edition of the Expo hosted by the Namibia Sports Commission in collaboration with the sport ministry and MTC The Dome and other stakeholders.
Its primary aim was to discuss the future of sports in Namibia, promote further development of the fraternity and serve as a platform that supports and creates a conducive environment for sports businesses and allied business in the sports sector overall. The expo started on 8 December and ended yesterday.