SWAKOPMUND – High levels of unemployment in the Erongo region remains an issue, exacerbated by the current Covid-19 pandemic, with over 1 000 job losses between April and July this year, adding to the region’s pre-existing 30 per cent unemployment rate.
Governor of Erongo region Neville Andre said this during his maiden state of the region address on Wednesday, noting that on its part, the regional council has initiated several programmes to support the start-up and growth of small and medium enterprises through the Erongo Development Fund (EDF) and the constituency development funds.
“There is a critical need to focus on the second economy and stimulate a culture of establishing job creation and not job seekers, through a strong entrepreneurial shift with emphasis on innovation and sustainability.
“This is the only way we can transform from a reactive economy to a responsive and production-based economy as we tally the erosion of the economical and industrial gains by Covid-19,” Andre urged.
He added that the main tool through which the government is seeking to positively influence or induce economic activities is the development budget, which includes subsidies to regional councils and local authorities to finance development/capital projects or works which are being undertaken by the private sector.
“The government, at all levels, also continues to lead national efforts that are aimed at creating and expanding opportunities for employment and socio-economic growth,” Andre noted.
He said that with the resumption of mining activities at Uis, the government, through the regional council, is working on measures to support the revival of development at the settlement, with the possibility of re-proclamation of the settlement back into a local authority once all the supporting self-sustaining factors have been verified.
Additionally, the rural development programmes such as Micro Finance, SME Support, Food Cash for Work, Rural Sanitation, Food Security and Nutrition and the One Region One Initiative, are being utilised to provide employment, stimulate enterprise development and enhance food security and production by providing resources and support to communal farmers. – Nampa
