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COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEFCOMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF Rio Tinto agrees on protection plan

Rio Tinto said on Monday it has agreed a heritage protection plan with an Indigenous group for a project in West Australia as it looks to avoid a repeat of the backlash it faced for destroying the sacred Juukan Gorge rock shelters.

In a statement, the company said the agreement, with the Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation (YAC), will ensure a new co-designed management plan protects social and cultural heritage values in Rio's proposed development of the Western Range iron ore project in the Pilbara region.

Rio said the collaboration would ensure the mines were designed to reduce impacts on social and cultural heritage. Decisions on environmental matters and mine planning will be made jointly with the Yinhawangka people, it said.

The announcement follows a massive public and investor uproar following Rio's destruction of the 46 000-year-old Juukan Gorge rock shelters in Western Australia for an iron ore mine. That uproar led to the departure of top executives including former Chief Executive Officer Jean-Sebastien Jacques and the Chairman Simon Thompson.

"We know we haven't always got this right in the past. We have learned and continue to learn a lot from this co-designed process which is the manner in which we want to work with all Traditional Owners," said Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive Simon Trott. -Reuters

Lockheed scraps US$4.4 bln deal

US arms maker Lockheed Martin Corp called off plans on Sunday to acquire rocket engine maker Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc for US$4.4 billion amid opposition from US antitrust enforcers.

The Federal Trade Commission sued to block the deal in late-January on the grounds that it would allow Lockheed to use its control of Aerojet to hurt other defense contractors. Missile maker Raytheon Technologies was an outspoken opponent of the proposed acquisition.

The merger, which was announced in late 2020, drew criticism as it would give Lockheed a dominant position over solid fuel rocket motors a vital piece of the US missile industry.

Lockheed's Chief Executive James Taiclet said the acquisition would have improved efficiency, speed and cut costs for the US government, but that terminating the agreement was in its stakeholders' best interest.

Aerojet, which reports fourth quarter earnings later this week, said in a separate statement that it still expects a strong "future performance," despite the scrapped merger. -Reuters

DBS Group profit rebounds

DBS Group flagged strong business momentum after its profit rose to a record last year, cementing a recovery for Southeast Asia's largest lender as pandemic-hit economies rebound and boost loan growth and asset quality.

Singapore lenders are also expected to be big beneficiaries of rising interest rates, while the city-state's economy is forecast to grow 3% to 5% this year after expanding at its fastest annual pace in over a decade in 2021.

Krishna Guha, an analyst at Jefferies said that while the bank's fourth-quarter profit was slightly below estimates due to lower-than-expected non-interest income, growth in other revenue metrics was "outstanding."

"Guidance for 2022 is in line with our current inputs but for the credit costs, and is likely to be the next driver of positive earnings revisions," Guha said in a note.

DBS, the first Singapore bank to report this season, said net profit for October-December rose to S$1.39 billion (US$1.03 billion) and follows a particularly weak pandemic-hit year when profit tumbled to a three-year low in the fourth quarter. -Reuters

Credit Suisse investors in the dark

Weary Credit Suisse investors fear a long wait for the bank to get back on piste after a string of scandals which have wiped billions off its market value and piled pressure on management.

While Switzerland's second-largest bank says that it can create value by serving its wealthy clients with "care and entrepreneurial spirit", the market is not yet convinced and its share price has dropped by nearly a third in a year, knocking some 10 billion Swiss francs (US$11 billion) off its valuation.

Meanwhile, other big European banks, buoyed by the prospect of rising interest rates, have gained almost 50% in stock market value over the same period and its cross-town Zurich rival UBS has left Credit Suisse for dust.

"Credit Suisse has a long list of scandals and problems," Stefan Sauerschell, a bond investor with Union Investment, said of the bank, which was founded in 1856 and says it has 48 770 employees and 3 510 relationship managers around the world.

"We always thought the management process would be improved and then the next punch landed. If there was another billion-plus loss, it would be a catastrophe," Sauerschell added. -Reuters

Life Insurance files IPO papers

State-run Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has filed draft papers with the market regulator to sell 5% of its shares to potentially raise nearly US$8 billion, dwarfing the biggest IPO in Asia's third-largest economy by a considerable margin.

The offering is crucial to the Narendra Modi-led government's efforts to meet its sharply trimmed divestment target for the current financial year and will provide a measure of the success of the government's pro-market policies.

India's largest insurer will be selling 316.25 million shares, according to the draft prospectus filed on Sunday, amounting to nearly 5% of the post-offer paid up share capital.

The government could raise a little more than 600 billion Indian rupees (US$7.97 billion) from the issuance rather than the initial plan for about 900 billion rupees, having trimmed the offering because of market conditions, a government source said.

The listing is likely to be completed by the end of March, the source added. -Reuters
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Swakop inmates claim police brutality

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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Swakop inmates claim police brutalitySwakop inmates claim police brutality ADAM HARTMAN

SWAKOPMUND

Inmates at the Swakopmund police station have taken their cry of alleged police brutality to social media, posting photos of injured men and pleading for intervention.

According to the inmates, an incident took place last week when police offers were allegedly “ordered to beat inmates without reason”.

They claim they were transferred to the Walvis Bay police station, but on the way there, they were taken into the dunes where the beatings continued. They also claim that they were “never taken to the hospital”.

Photos of men with swollen faces and lash marks on their backs, buttocks and arms were posted too.

“We are tired and the inmates of the Swakopmund police station are being tortured,” the post read, with other posts putting the blame on the new station commander.

Counter-claims

When contacted for comment, the Erongo police spokesperson, Inspector Ileni Shapumba, said there was an incident on Wednesday afternoon at the police station.

Shapumba said the police were investigating allegations of obstructing police officers executing their duties, assault by threat and crimen injura against the inmates.

“If the inmates had opened a case, it would be our duty to investigate that too. We live in a functioning democracy, but why is it that they never opened cases, but use means of communication that is not permitted in the holding cells to spread photos and claims,” questioned Shapumba.

He said the complainant claimed to be a police officer, but when the number was called, no one answered, suggesting that it may have been an illegal phone used from the cells.

The police are also questioning the veracity of the photographs, saying the man with the swollen face appeared to have stuffed something into his mouth to make his cheek look swollen.

“There are all these issues to consider more closely,” Shapumba said.

He added that many prohibited items such as cigarettes, drugs and mobile phones find their way into the cells, and warned visitors not to bring such items to the inmates.

adam@erongo.com.na
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‘We cannot stop hunting elephants’

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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‘We cannot stop hunting elephants’‘We cannot stop hunting elephants’UK bans trophy imports Leaders of local communal conservation areas say they hunt elephants sustainably. ELVIRA HATTINGH

GROOTFONTEIN



Until workable alternatives to elephant hunting are available, there is no reason to stop hunters from England and elsewhere from using these resources in a sustainable way, local conservancies say.

It is precisely hunting that supports the conservation of Africa's wildlife as well as rural development, according to leaders of local communal conservation areas.

They spoke out against a bill in England, which hopes to ban the import of trophies into the country.

In an article entitled ‘UK trophy hunting import ban not supported by rural Africans’ by local conservationists, rural Namibians strongly oppose the proposed legislation.

While the proposed ban on the import of hunting trophies (such as horns and teeth) apparently enjoys strong support in England, the effects of such policies will be felt by rural people outside its borders.

"The opinions of Africans in rural areas are rarely, if ever, heard in these decision-making processes," it said.

The article appeared last Friday (February 11) on Mongabay, an online publication that distributes conservation news internationally. It was compiled by the researchers Gail Thomson (Resource Africa); Kenneth / Uiseb (Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism); Rosalia Iileka (Namibia's narrowing of CBNRM support organizations - NACSO); Hilma Angula (NACSO) and Dr. Malan Lindeque (Resource Africa).

PUBLIC MEETINGS This follows after the Namibian government asked the various professional conservation personalities to host a series of public meetings on this in rural areas. Finally, 38 communal conservation areas participated in this. In between, more interviews were conducted with people about elephants.The respondents said they understand that opinions on this may differ, but that those who are thinking of converting the opinions into legislation should think twice.The respondents draw a direct line between tangible benefits that elephant hunting can have (income and meat) and the willingness of communities to tolerate elephant-related conflict."None of the respondents wanted all the elephants in their conservation areas to be killed or removed, regardless of the damage they suffered."The hunting of elephants for meat and an income therefore connects with their sense of pride in their efforts to preserve the forest giants," the researchers concluded. WATCHERS SAY The researchers emphasise that most community members were proud to have elephants within their conservation areas, mainly because they can help conserve them for future generations and because they are a source of income and meat.However, elephants cause significant damage to crops, wire fences, boreholes and water infrastructure, while sometimes claiming human lives.They shared some of the respondents' reactions, on condition of anonymity, with the public:"Elephants must be to the advantage of those who preserve them. Our utilisation is done on a sustainable basis. There are always more elephants left, even if some are hunted."We cannot stop hunting elephants, because our conservation strategy depends on it. People will only live with elephants and preserve them if there is also a benefit to be gained from them."If we do not hunt them, the cases of conflict increase. If they do not want us to hunt them, they must provide us with alternative sources of income so that we can continue to protect elephants within our conservation areas."Those who complain about hunting do not live with elephants. It is easy, if they do not like hunting, then we offer alternatives.”Community leaders are aware of international pressure to try to ban hunting. However, they refuse to be dictated to by "anti-hunting fighters" and believe they have the right to manage local resources themselves. In addition, it brings development to the forefront, which includes electricity, residences, kindergartens, water points and community offices.
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Researchers discover how ovarian cancer hides from the body's immune system

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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Researchers discover how ovarian cancer hides from the body's immune system Researchers discover how ovarian cancer hides from the body's immune system The findings by researchers at the University of Helsinki will help develop novel precision therapies for ovarian cancer, a common and aggressive cancer type. “With the help of this revolutionary imaging technology and advanced data analysis, we were able to study individual tumor cells, their functional properties and interactions with unprecedented precision." - Anniina Färkkilä, associate professor Cancer can only develop and progress when the tumor cells are able to hide from the body's immune system. Cancer immunotherapies, which boost the body's immune defense against cancer, have emerged as promising therapies in multiple tumor types. However, the effectiveness of immunotherapies against ovarian cancer has remained modest. This is mainly since the mechanisms how ovarian cancer cells hide from the immune system have been unknown.

Now, researchers at the University of Helsinki have uncovered how tumor cells interact with the immune system in ovarian cancer. Utilizing a novel imaging technology, the researchers characterized more than 110,000 individual cells from clinical ovarian cancer samples. The researchers investigated how the genetic characteristics of ovarian cancer the shape human immune system, and how tumor and immune cells communicate with each other.

"By studying individual cells directly in the tissue, we demonstrated how cancer cells hide in different ways, depending on the specific gene mutation. We found that the body's immune system is more effective against tumors with a mutation in BRCA1/2 genes. By contrast, tumors without such mutations have a connective tissue barrier prohibiting the interaction between the cancer and immune cells", says doctoral researcher Inga-Maria Launonen, BM.

BRCA1/2 mutations occur in approximately 20% of poorly differentiated serous carcinomas, the most common form of ovarian cancer. The killer T-cells closely guarded the aggressive tumor cells particularly in tumors with BRCA1/2 mutations, which is why these patients had a markedly better prognosis.

"By increasing our understanding of how tumor genes trick the immune system, we will be able to develop more effective ways to activate the body's own immune defenses to kill the cancer cells," Inga-Maria says.

Results will promote the tailoring of precision therapies

The results of the study confirm the significance of the interaction between tumor and immune cells in identifying new and more effective therapies as well as in choosing the right therapy for each patient.

"Our findings will enable us to tailor precision immuno- and combination therapies that have the potential to even cure ovarian cancer in the future," Färkkilä says. Source: news-medical.net
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Mediclinic employee questions Covid vaccine

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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Mediclinic employee questions Covid vaccine Mediclinic employee questions Covid vaccine OGONE TLHAGE



WINDHOEK

Mediclinic Windhoek employee Sedney Haufiku is demanding answers from his employer over its decision to require staff to take Covid-19 vaccinations.

Writing to Mediclinic on Haufiku’s behalf, the Health Defence League (HDF) questioned the hospital’s stance and requested information on which vaccine Mediclinic had recommended.

The HDF is a not-for-profit body which provides legal advice to persons opposed to taking Covid-19 vaccinations in the workplace. Its aim is to “defend basic human rights and to uphold the constitution, freedom of choice and freedom of speech,” it said on its website.

Haufiku, through the HDF, further wanted to what the legal status of the vaccine was in Namibia, whether it is experimental or had been certified and whether, due to the constant mutation of Covid-19 virus, a vaccine developed in 2020 would still be safe for use.

We want answers

The HDF said only once the hospital responded to Haufiku’s questions and has proved he would suffer no harm would he conditionally agree to taking the vaccine.

It further demanded Mediclinic assume responsibility should the employee suffer any adverse effects from having received the vaccine.

“Such conditional agreement to be vaccinated will entail that Mediclinic will prior to such vaccination be required to sign an undertaking that it will take legal and financial responsibility for any injury, ill-health and or loss suffered by Mr Haufiku as a result of taking your recommended vaccine(s),” the HDF wrote.

The organisation demanded answers from the hospital on or before yesterday, 14 February.
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Agriculture sector grows by 6% in Q3

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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Agriculture sector grows by 6% in Q3Agriculture sector grows by 6% in Q3Improved land for crop cultivation According to Agribank, growth this year is expected to be better as livestock marketing improves on the back of better grazing, coupled with better rainfall benefitting the crop and agronomy industries. ELLANIE SMIT







WINDHOEK

The agriculture sector has remained resilient amidst existing challenges, expanding by 5.9% in the third quarter of last year. This compared to a contraction of 7.1% during the same period in 2020.

According to Agribank’s monthly Market Watch for January, the growth can be attributed to improved land for crop cultivation that posted a double-digit growth of 11.6% and a recovery in livestock farming at 4.6% in the third quarter of last year.

It said this year is expected to be better as livestock marketing improves on the back of better grazing, coupled with better rainfall benefitting the crop and agronomy industries.

Due to low supply of marketable animals during 2021, the price of meat increased significantly by 11.8%.

According to Agribank, high prices were observed at both producer and consumer level.

“Similarly, challenges faced in the poultry industry translated into an increase in chicken prices on the shelves by 21.4%, exerting more pressure on the end consumer.”

Fruit in high demand

Furthermore, Agribank said that fruit was in high demand during Covid-19 peak infections, particularly citrus fruit.

“As a result, fruit inflation remained elevated, increasing by 14.9% in December 2021 on the back of increasing demand amidst low supply.

“Only 4% of fruit consumed is locally produced, therefore, investment in fruit production remains crucial for product diversification,” it said.
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Police confirm charging Grobler for trespassing

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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Police confirm charging Grobler for trespassing Police confirm charging Grobler for trespassing ELLANIE SMIT



WINDHOEK

Police yesterday confirmed they have charged journalist John Grobler and Nrupesh Soni, the founder and owner of Namibia Travel and Tourism Forum, for trespassing.

The pair on Saturday afternoon flew a drone over a farm in Gobabis, owned by GoHunt Namibia Safaris. This is deemed illegal if no permission was obtained from the owner of the property.

The Elizabeth Margaret Steyn (EMS) Foundation, a global wildlife animal rights group, has condemned Namibia over the treatment of the two men.

Grobler was allegedly investigating a controversial elephant auction, while Soni said he was assisting with flying the drone.

They were filming footage at the farm where 23 wild, captured elephants with two newborn calves are allegedly being kept.

Grobler said this shows that the cows were pregnant when captured.

Legal implications

The auction and sale of elephants in Namibia has been highly criticised, with the environment ministry being accused of not being transparent about the matter.

News of the auctioning of 170 elephants broke in December 2020 and caused an uproar. The ministry sold 57 of the elephants last year for N$5.9 million, of which 42 will be exported.

The ministry had been adamant that it would not disclose any information about the bidders or the countries the elephants are being exported to out of fear of retaliation.

Questioned about the transparency of the process, ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said they can only share more once the entire process has been completed, otherwise there may be legal implications.

Charges

Grobler and Soni face charges of trespassing and hunting of specially protected game without a permit.

“It is further alleged that the suspects used the drone to wilfully disturb the specially protected game without a permit or written authority issued by the environment ministry,” the police said.

After the matter was reported to the police and the ministry, they were intercepted in Gobabis, the report read.

Police confiscated a DJI Phantom drone equipped with a SG card that contained visuals of the elephants on the farm. Investigations into the matter continue.

He said, she said

Grobler, however, said for the trespassing charge to be valid, they would have had to be arrested on the farm and not in Gobabis, which is about 120km away.

He added that he formally requested access to the elephants in person from the owner last Monday and was told that he had to ask the ministry. The ministry’s office based in Gobabis however insisted that the owner had to give permission.

Heavy-handed

The EMS Foundation said it is concerned about the lack of transparency by the Namibian government on the said auction and does not condone government’s heavy-handed approach towards Grobler and Soni.

“The capture of free roaming wild elephants is a matter of national interest, general public concern and importance. This is a subject of legitimate global news interest,” it said.
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Education ED reminds teachers of their mandate

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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Education ED reminds teachers of their mandateEducation ED reminds teachers of their mandate Jollyphonics to restore dignity to education The ministry of education, arts and culture said the introduction of the Jollyphonics programme will transform literacy rates Sanet Steenkamp, ministry of education, arts and culture executive director; “Bring fun, laughter, joy and playful learning back into our classrooms. You are able to restore that.” Iréne-Mari van der Walt



The ministry of education, arts and culture recently launched the Jollyphonics learning programme in Namibia by hosting a training workshop for teachers, equipping them to teach Jollyphonics.

The executive director for education, Sanet Steenkamp, used the opportunity to remind teachers of their mandate.

“We should be proud public servants. We are gainfully employed. We need to ask ourselves ‘if we are gainfully employed, what is it that we are not getting right?’”

She implored her colleagues to pay special attention to children who are struggling instead of looking away. “When did the Namibian child become a problem? There are children who cannot read a single word after three years of schooling, and such learners are pushed on to become the next person’s problem, but we as the ministry of education will not stand for it,” she said.

Steenkamp noted that in 2018, 100 million youth were said to be illiterate. “We are heading for a national and global disaster if we do not change. We must restore our profession,” she said.

The executive director further urged teachers to usher excitement back into junior primary phase education.

“Bring fun, laughter, joy and playful learning back into our classrooms. You are able to restore that,” she said.

Teachers were also urged to apply learning to local contexts, enabling learners to work with materials and examples that are familiar to them.

“I want us to apply everything we learn to local contexts and work with products the child knows.”

If Steenkamp’s encouragement was not enough, she urged educators to take the N$27 000 000 Jollyphonics is investing into Namibian education as encouragement to turn our education system around. “How can we not be filled with a deep sense of gratitude when they believed in us?”

She added that the ministry also supplemented Jollyphonics’ very welcome aid by adding N$1.8 million of its own funds to the national training programme.
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Sports/art competition winners announced, inclusive school sport programme launched

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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Sports/art competition winners announced, inclusive school sport programme launchedSports/art competition winners announced, inclusive school sport programme launched On 8 February, the ministry of education, arts and culture and the ministry of sport, youth and national services, together with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)’s regional Sport for Development in Africa (S4DA) programme concluded its sports/art competition.

Through the Integrated Physical Education and School Sports Programme (IPESS), children throughout the 14 regions of Namibia were asked to illustrate what sports and physical education mean to them.

They did this through the medium of art and drawings that were flooding in from all regions, with the best 12 being selected to be part of a IPESS calendar.

During the prize-giving ceremony, the minister of sports, Agnes Tjongarero, and the minister of education, Ester Anna Nghipondoka, handed over the prizes to two of the 12 winners.

"The sport/art competition was an initiative started by the ministries' programme, IPESS. It officially launched on 24 September 2021 and ran until 24 October 2021. Children between seven and 16 years could enter the competition by submitting a drawing, showing the importance of sport and physical education.

“In addition, each child submitted a short story describing how sport has impacted their lives. The drawings and stories will form part of the 2022 IPESS calendar," a press statement read.

From the entries received, the judging panel picked the 12 winners to be featured on the calendar. These winners were also awarded prizes and came from all over Namibia.

The winners hail from various regions such as Khomas, Oshana, Ohangwena and //Karas.

The prizes given to each winner consisted of a complete art set, a skipping rope, a football and an IPESS gift hamper made up of an IPESS mask, T-shirt, water bottle, notebook and sports bag.

The two winners present at the prize-giving ceremony were Maria Rengura from the Chairman Mao Zedong High School and Penyovamati Hashiti of the Green Leaves Primary School as well as a participant from Physically Active Youth (PAY).

According to the report, the IPESS programme promotes education and school sports and will become an "intrinsic part of all school learners' overall development and forms part of their healthy lifestyle".

"It is a fully inclusive programme and won't just focus on the 'very sporty' children. Every boy and girl, whatever their level of ability, will be included. No one will be left behind. The 'sport for development' concept that has already been rolled out and implemented successfully across the nation and trained teachers in physical education laid the foundation for this programme," the statement read.
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Southern African youth up in arms

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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Southern African youth up in armsSouthern African youth up in arms Student leaders in southern Africa face oppression for academic freedom “Students in Southern Africa face arrest, torture and prosecution, abduction and many other dehumanising treatments in their fight for academic freedoms,” Ester Simon, the secretary-general of the Southern Africa Students Union (SASU), said. Jeanette Diergaardt





Student leaders and students in southern Africa faces oppression and ‘dehumanising treatment’, according to Ester Simon, the secretary-general of the Southern Africa Students Union (SASU).

In a recent statement released by SASU, the academic freedom of students is under serious constraints as well as their basic rights.

The union released a statement and a call for student leader, Colani Maseko, the president of the Eswatini National Union of Students, to be released. Maseko has been detained in Eswatini on charges of sedition. According to reports, his arrest was violent and unlawful.

In recent reports by an online news outlet, Swaziland News, Maseko has been released on bail.

He was detained for being vocal about the injustice’s students in Eswatini face as well as enrichment of government officials. “He has also been very vocal about the police cruelty in the June/July arrests,” Simon said.

Online reports indicated that Maseko called for the release of incarcerated political leaders, Barcede Mabuza and Amos Mbedzi, the latter being accused for murder charges in South Africa.

Naboth de Celestino, the secretary for political and international affairs from the Namibian National Students Organisation, (NANSO), defined the academic oppression students face as the difficulty for academic issues to be resolved as well as the problems that students are not receiving necessary attention. Therefore causing student leaders to be vocal about the various irregularities. He further reiterated and called on governments to ensure that the rights of students and student leaders are protected. According to Celestino, this is not the first time students face oppression and that leaders are being detained. He further noted that matters in the Namibian context have not escalated to a worrying point as in neighbouring countries.
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CORRECTION:

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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CORRECTION: CORRECTION: On 8 February, in an article titled ‘NUST changes its registration processes’ published on Page 8, The Zone reported that students at the Namibia University of Science and Technology are required to pay their registration fees upfront. They are, however, only required to settle their debts and pay a minimum deposit. Discussions on the change of registration are yet to take place. We regret the error.
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Consumers face years of high energy prices

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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Consumers face years of high energy pricesConsumers face years of high energy pricesBig Oil CEOs warn Oil and gas prices have rocketed in recent months as a result of a rapid recovery in global economic activity as Covid-19 restrictions have eased. What we can expect is volatility over the coming months and years. Bernard Looney, CEO: BP RON BOUSSO AND NERIJUS ADOMAITIS

Consumers should brace for years of high energy prices, heads of top oil and gas companies said, in what would pile pressure on governments struggling with spiralling inflation.

Oil and gas prices have rocketed in recent months as a result of a rapid recovery in global economic activity as Covid-19 restrictions have eased, as well as a drop in investment in new energy supplies.

While oil and gas companies reported bumper earnings in 2021, consumers, particularly in Europe, have faced sharp rises in petrol, heating and electricity bills, which in turn have led several governments to introduce subsidies to ease the pressure.

"I've no good news to deliver, oil prices will remain high", Patrick Pouyanne, chief executive of France's TotalEnergies, told RTL Radio.

European natural gas, prices have more than tripled over the past year, after hitting record highs late last year amid low seasonal inventories.

"What we can expect is volatility over the coming months and years," BP CEO Bernard Looney told Reuters on Tuesday after the British company reported its highest annual profit in eight years, prompting calls for the government to impose more taxes on oil and gas companies to help deal with energy bills.

Oil markets could see supplies tighten more this year and further support prices which remain above US$90 a barrel, their highest since 2014, Looney said.

Equinor, Europe's second-largest pipeline gas supplier after Russia's Gazprom, posted record quarterly profits on Wednesday.

Its Chief Executive Anders Opedal said he expected the European gas market to remain tight, with demand to remain strong this year as below-normal storage needed replenishing.

"We expect a tight gas market going forward and we expect volatility in power price development," Opedal told a news conference.

Europe's top energy companies plan to shift their businesses away from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy and renewables and have slowed down investments in new oil and gas projects in recent years, partly contributing to current supply shortages.

Equinor expects its total oil and gas production to increase by 2% in 2022. BP's production is expected to remain flat this year compared to 2021.-Reuters
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Termoto opens fitness academy at Ongwediva

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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Termoto opens fitness academy at Ongwediva Termoto opens fitness academy at Ongwediva Improving fitness in the region Established in 2022, the club has 18 amateur boxers and two professional fighters under its stable, and aims to grow its pool of boxers. TUYEIMO HAIDULA







ONGWEDIVA

Termoto Boxing and Fitness Gym opened its doors to Ongwediva residents on Friday in hopes of improving health in the Oshana Region.

Established in 2022, the club has 18 amateur boxers and two professional fighters under its stable, and aims to grow its pool of boxers.

Ongwediva town mayor Taarah Shalfyefu said the centre adds value to the development of sport in the town at a time when the country is battling the Covid-19 pandemic.

He made the remarks during the official opening of the gym at Efidi Lomulunga, saying the facility will also contribute to crime reduction by keeping the youth busy.

"The communities of Ongwediva will make use of this chance and facility made available to the best of our abilities," he said.

Shalyefu added that the town has prioritised investing in development and upgrading sport facilities to ensure that residents have a conducive environment to train and keep their bodies active, with the goal to remain healthy at all times.

He called on individuals and business communities to invest in sport not only for the benefit of the town, but the country at large.

Boxing gold mine

Ongwediva constituency councillor Andreas Uutoni also applauded the founders of Termoto, saying the northern central area has potential for discovering talented boxers.

He said once the boxers have been well trained, they have the potential of flying the Namibian flag on international level.

Termoto chairperson Emvula Emvula said Oshana is a gold mine that needs to be explored further as far as boxing is concerned.

"This is a clear indication that dreams are valid and do come true with commitment, hard work and dedication. We are a living testimony that anything is possible," he said.

Emvula added that they intend to sharpen skills, teach the craft of boxing and present impressive results to the world.

The facility belongs to the community with the purpose of growing, promoting and improving the art of boxing in society, he said.

- tuyeimo@namibiansun.com
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EDITORIAL: Don’t mock us with Thierry Henry photos

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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EDITORIAL: Don’t mock us with Thierry Henry photosEDITORIAL: Don’t mock us with Thierry Henry photos Unlike many things, our dead football cannot be left to market forces for resurrection. The current situation calls for the intervention – not interference – of the highest political authority in the land.

Over the weekend, President Hage Geingob and his entourage in France met, and posed for photos, with one of that country’s deadliest ever strikers, Thierry Henry.

The president – whose government is presiding not only over the death of domestic football but also the lack of facilities for international football matches – tweeted a photo of him and Henry, with a grin on his face.



It did not appear that Henry had a clue of the state of football here at home. As the Arsenal legend posed for flashing cameras with the Namibian delegation to the One Ocean Summit in Brest, he did not appear to know that Namibia’s international matches are played in Johannesburg, South Africa, because we have no facilities of our own.

The City of Windhoek, under the leadership of an opposition gang, has allowed its own Sam Nujoma Stadium to degenerate to a state where Fifa disapproved its use. It was the only functioning international soccer facility the country had, because the state-owned Independence Stadium is only good enough to host political rallies.

Namibia too can produce its own Henrys, just like France, but not without political will. Right now, we are killing the talent, business and social cohesion Namibians enjoyed when they rallied behind their beloved national teams.
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Vox Pop

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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Vox PopVox Pop How do you keep yourself safe online? Maria Iikali (20)

By avoiding self-recognition software. I am very critical about providing my details on software and many internet places as you do not know who is seeing your details and also by avoiding logging into unknown websites.

Johannes Shikuma (17)

I am not online every day, but what I do to keep myself safe is avoid bad comments. Whenever I see that the comments are a lot, I switch off my phone.

Joyce Waandja (17)

I protect myself by ignoring social bullies. If they continue to bully me, I block and archive them and develop a culture of reporting.

Flavia Shanghala (17)

I always zoom into my pictures to make sure that nothing related to my location is showing in that picture. Also by posting content from a trip at least a day or two after just to be sure that people do not know my current location.

Eliakim Helao (17)

I limit my time on the internet and make sure that any picture posted has no location or personal information. I also make sure to post appropriate content and report and block any kind of page with wrong content.

Alina Negumbo (14)

I take time off the phone and from social media and also by keeping myself aware about the world around, not forgetting to ignore the online negativity.

Enginia Tjikere (16)

I keep myself safe by not replying to people I do not know and keeping myself safe from people I do not know.
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Genocide descendants threaten farm repatriation

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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Genocide descendants threaten farm repatriation Genocide descendants threaten farm repatriation OGONE TLHAGE



WINHOEK

Genocide descendent David Kaiko says descendants of the Nama/Ovaherero genocide will be left with no option but to repatriate the farms of Namibian Germans should genocide negotiations prove difficult.

“We want to appeal to the German government not to provoke us because we know where our farms are. They are in the hands of their kith and kin. We equally want to appeal to Namibians of German descendant to talk to the German government,” he said.

“We want to make it clear here today that the continuation of our harmonious relationship will largely depend on how the German government treats our just cause. Our cause for restorative justice,” he added.

According to him, negotiations remained the best bet toward finding a lasting solution.

“There is absolutely no doubt in our minds that engaging the Germans on this very complex issue was and remains our best bet towards finding a lasting solution to the issue of our genocide. We hereby want to acknowledge the tremendous effort from our government and all members from the affected communities who worked tirelessly throughout the negotiations process,” Kaiko said.

Does not do justice

He further applauded the German government’s stance with regards to starting genocide negotiations.

“The acknowledgement of genocide and the willingness from the Germans to apologise are indeed steps in the right direction. However, the amount they have offered does not do justice to the acknowledgement of genocide.

“We do acknowledge that negotiations are a give and take process, but how do you offer a paltry N$1.1 billion while you have killed, raped, robbed people of their cattle and drove them off their land?” he asked.

According to Kaiko, the amount offered was no justification for the atrocities caused by the Germans.

“It is a racist amount that could easily instigate anger amongst the affected communities. The Germans came here uninvited and killed our people. Today, Namibians of German descent continue to own most of our commercial farms that they mostly inherited from their parents, who killed our people,” he said.

He urged the German government to seek common ground, saying the atrocities needed to be accounted for.

“Tell the Germans our patience is running weary. Tell them we have given them an opportunity to solve this issue once and for all. Therefore, they should show some acceptable degree of seriousness before they wake up sleeping beasts,” he said.
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Interpol roped into extraditing Icelanders

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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Interpol roped into extraditing Icelanders Interpol roped into extraditing Icelanders PG says Fishrot-linked executives cannot hide PG Martha Imalwa has sought help from Interpol to trace Icelandic fisheries executives wanted in Namibia in relation to Fishrot. JEMIMA BEUKES







WINDHOEK

Prosecutor-General (PG) Martha Imalwa has revealed in court papers that she has roped in the services of Interpol to help extradite Icelandic fisheries executives wanted in Namibia for their role in the Fishrot scandal.

Imalwa said she is confident that the Icelanders, who are denying any wrongdoing, will be successfully extradited.

In her heads of arguments in an application by Ricardo Gustavo against her asset restraint order, the PG said there is no reason why the extradition process will not be successful or why whistle-blower Johannes Stefansson will not be able to testify.

Stefansson lifted the lid on the bribery scandal that landed Gustavo and two cabinet ministers at the time – Bernhardt Esau and Sacky Shanghala – in jail.

The State is in the process of extraditing three Icelandic Samherji employees, Ingvar Júlíusson, Egill Helgi Árnason and Adalsteinn Helgason, to stand trial in the matter.

Samherji is at the heart of the Fishrot scandal as it is alleged that millions in bribes were embezzled through the entity. The State alleged that up to N$317 million was looted in the scandal.

“The prosecution, in any event, has enough other evidence to prove their case. There is no real dispute about my contentions. The foreigners [Icelanders] do not offer any contrary evidence. They merely express scepticism and thus seek a referral to oral evidence to bolster their opposition to my application,” Imalwa said.

She added that the Icelanders cannot seriously dispute the evidence upon which she based her application for a restraint order, which is now opposed by Gustavo and some of his co-accused.

‘Skulking foreigners’

“The foreigners [Icelanders] do not offer any evidence of their own. They will not come here, give oral evidence or be cross-examined. They will skulk in their foreign hideaways and have their lawyers cross-examine me and Mr Stefánsson.

“But they should not be allowed to refuse to submit to the jurisdiction of this court and yet invoke its processes to undermine the case against them,” she said.

According to her, the Icelanders are wiping their traces and have no more directors in Namibia, which prompted her office to seek help from Interpol to trace them, adding that they fastidiously fail to disclose their whereabouts.

“Their deponent, Mr Júlíusson, even refuses to disclose where, when and how they authorised him to bring this application on their behalf. The very foundation of this application is that the foreigners will defeat any attempt to prosecute them in Namibia. Their foreign directors will do so by refusing to set foot in Namibia and by resisting any attempt to extradite them for trial in Namibia,” the PG said.

“Nothing can be further from the truth than the foreigners’ pious claims that all they want is a fair trial.”

jemima@namibiansun.com
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Wooding their way through life

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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Wooding their way through lifeWooding their way through life What started out as a hobby is now a full-time career. Elrisha Ochurus,Woodie’s Creations co-founder; “We work on Wednesdays after school and sell our products at local markets and lodges.” Jamie-Lee Loss





Most people look at wood and don’t see much potential, but in April 2020, Woodie’s Creations was founded by Erich Kunderer, a teacher at Waldorf School, and two learners from the same school, Elrisha Ochurus and Magreth Nuru/khom.

Woodie’s Creations is a local carpentry business that makes a range of products out of wood, which include brushes, cutlery, games, benches, accessories and more. In simple terms, your wish is their command.

“The business was created as a way to keep busy and creative during the lockdown,” Ochurus said.

Woodie’s Creations also provides the learners with a platform to learn how to not only make these wooden products, but also teaches them how to sell their products to their target market.

“We work on Wednesdays after school and sell our products at local markets and lodges,” Ochurus said. They further sell their products to The Bio-Market in Klein Windhoek, Klein-Aus Vista Desert Lodge and Gondwana lodges.

The trio mentioned that the project is going quite well and that they have a total of seven learners who work extremely hard to make the dream work.

The learners said they do struggle to find the balance between school and work, but highlight that it is extremely rewarding to see the look on a client’s face after telling them that the products were made by the youth. The main reason they started to involve other learners in the project is because they want them to be exposed to and have a clear idea of what the business world is really like.

The learners mentioned that there aren’t enough opportunities for the youth to tap into the business world and that they were just lucky enough to have such a supportive teacher by their side. “He worked well with us and came up with wonderful ideas. Without his support, we would have had more challenges,” Ochurus said.

Their advice to young people looking to start their own businesses is that there will be challenges, but if it’s really what you want, go for it. “Don’t give up on your education, though, because they go hand in hand.”
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NovaNam invests N$36 mln on solar energy

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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NovaNam invests N$36 mln on solar energyNovaNam invests N$36 mln on solar energy STAFF REPORTER

NovaNam has further embedded its sustainability strategy by investing in two photovoltaic solar projects.

Against the backdrop of Namibia’s poise to becoming a global player in renewable energy and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 for 2030, NovaNam has installed solar plants in its hake value addition processing plants in Lüderitz and Walvis Bay, where 2 300 people are employed in the processing of an average of 100 tons of raw material daily.

The Lüderitz solar investment is N$30 million and the photovoltaic solar park rests on a space of 3 132 square meters, including a fi­rst of its kind installation on wooden mounted structures in order to manage the rough rocky terrain ubiquitous in this isolated southern Namibian town.

The solar plant was installed by SolarSaver, a Namibian company, and will generate 317.000 kilowatts per month, and decrease the company’s annual CO2 emissions by 3.932 tons, with an outcome of 2.393 barrels of oil being reduced every year.

As NovaNam’s Managing Director, Edwin Kamatoto, explained “Sustainability is not a part of our strategy, it is our strategy. By carrying through with this investment, our company has committed to the use of renewable energy, and this would help contribute to free up other energy sources to meet much needed developmental and infrastructural goals, especially in Lüderitz and the Kharas Region.”
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Greater vaccine uptake to accelerate recovery

February 14, 2022, 2:00 pm
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Greater vaccine uptake to accelerate recoveryGreater vaccine uptake to accelerate recovery15 000 jobs lost in the formal economy In Namibia, less than 30% of the eligible population, is believed to be fully vaccinated. RUUSA NANDAGO

There cannot be a dispute about the wide-ranging implications of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Lives have been lost and livelihoods have been ravaged over the past two years.

Public health measures have proven to be effective. However, it is a well-documented fact that these are not sufficient to curb the continued spread of the virus. A critical component of the world’s arsenal against the pandemic is vaccination. Science has been vindicated in this regard.

Unfortunately, the uptake of vaccines that help protect against severe disease, hospitalisation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and death has been particularly slow. In Namibia, less than 30% of the eligible population, is believed to be fully vaccinated. This needs to be seen within the context of close to 4000 Namibians who have died because of the pandemic. Additionally, a recent study found that close to 15 000 jobs had been lost in the formal economy alone as a result of public health regulations that were enforced to arrest the situation.

This is a situation that should be of concern to every Namibian. The potential for economic recovery amidst and post-Covid-19 is said to be related to vaccine uptake in a country.

In 2021, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) proposed that the pandemic could end if 40% of the population got vaccinated by the end of 2021 and 70% by mid-2022. While some countries have made significant progress towards achieving this target, there remains large variations in terms of vaccine coverage – with African countries recording the lowest vaccination rates. Namibia, in particular, lags far behind its own target of attained herd immunity by March 2022.

Achieving a high level of vaccine coverage is not only key to ending the pandemic but is also critical to getting economies across the world back onto an upward growth trajectory in the short term. In other words: vaccine policy is economic policy. This is because low vaccine coverage brings about risks of virus mutations and new variants which could lead to further variant-induced waves of infections. This was witnessed in Namibia during the devastating Delta third wave experienced in the June-July period of 2021. Furthermore, there remains a risk that new variants may become vaccine resistant, thus delaying the end of the pandemic and consequently limiting the potential for economic growth.

Tourism

The emergence of the Omicron variant reminds us that additional variants and further waves of infections bode ill for Namibian tourism as they trigger travel bans and red-listing which consequently lead to cancellations of flights, accommodation and tourist activities. Tourism, as we know, was a significant contributor to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) before the onset of the pandemic.

In addition to this, severe waves of Covid-19 could necessitate the re-introduction of strict regulations which limit movement. This, by implication, disrupts economic activity which has detrimental implications for other sectors in the economy, particularly those that are consumer facing. This start-and-stop approach to the economy could lead to a further deterioration in consumer and business confidence. Confidence levels are already at historical low levels as evidenced by data on credit extended to the private sector. Despite the national interest rate being at a historical low of 3.75%, growth credit extended to the private sector averaged only 3% in 2021, compared to its pre-pandemic average of 7%.

Given the current levels of vaccination coverage, the expectation is that Namibia is not likely to reach herd immunity by the end of 2022. At the same time, economic growth during the first three quarters of 2021 averaged -0.5%, suggesting an extremely fragile economy. While sufficient vaccine coverage is not the panacea solution to the revival of economic growth, it creates the necessary conditions for the success of other long-standing reforms to be successful, such as creating a more conducive business environment and stabilising government finances.

Hope is on the horizon. The Omicron variant, although highly transmissible, has been epidemiologically found to be less serious than some of its predecessors. Gradual economic recovery is possible provided we double our efforts to encourage greater uptake of Covid-19 vaccines that do not only protect lives but will go a long way to safeguard livelihoods.
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