Namibia's National Assembly Speaker warns of economic inequality, poverty

Windhoek, Aug 14 Namibia continues to grapple with deep-rooted poverty and inequality, despite more than three decades of economic growth, National Assembly Speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said on Thursday.

The Speaker highlighted those issues while reflecting on the country's constitutional journey 35 years after its independence, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Speaking at a conference titled "Namibia's Constitution amidst Reflection, Reform, and Renewal", Kuugongelwa-Amadhila praised the constitution as a "moral compass" leading the nation from a system of apartheid and division to a unified, democratic republic.

Despite the growth, she also expressed that many Namibians still do not fully benefit from the opportunities the economy can offer.

Unprocessed resources still dominate Namibia's exports, limiting value addition, industrialisation, job creation, and public revenue, she said, noting that "ownership of land and natural resources remains skewed, undermining equity and shared prosperity".

The Speaker also said access to primary healthcare, particularly in rural and informal settlements, needs to catch up despite overall progress.

"Infrastructure, equipment, and staffing shortfalls remain pressing challenges. The full rollout of decentralisation is hindered by resource constraints in some areas, including technical capacity," she said.

According to Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Namibia's financial sector, though stable and profitable, does not serve all, as many in rural and informal economies remain excluded from affordable credit and banking services.

The Speaker called for a recommitment to constitutionalism as a "living covenant with our people."

"The remaining challenges in our development are not failures of vision but are a call for concerted, persistent, and holistic action by all of us, from government to the private sector and civil society. The pace of progress will depend on all stakeholders actively playing their role," she said.

Meanwhile, Namibia's mining industry generated a total revenue of 51.4 billion Namibian dollars (about $2.89 billion) in 2024, representing a marginal 0.4 per cent decrease from the previous year.

This slight decline was primarily attributed to lower revenues from diamond mining, according to the Chamber of Mines of Namibia's 2024 Annual Review, released Friday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Veston Malango, the CEO of the Chamber of Mines of Namibia, presented the review, which offers a comprehensive overview of the sector's performance, challenges, and strategic outlook.

Despite the minor dip in overall revenue, Malango said the mining sector remained a significant contributor to the national fiscus. In 2024, the industry paid 3.008 billion Namibian dollars in corporate taxes, 2.256 billion in royalties, and 360 million in export levies.

Furthermore, the sector demonstrated robust employment growth, with direct jobs increasing by 14.6 per cent to a total of 20,843 positions, he noted.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor