Sankwasa Urges Local Leaders to Prioritise Namibians in Jobs and Tenders
By TUW
Local authorities, village councils, and town management committees from Kavango West, Kavango East, Zambezi, Okongo, and Divundu on Monday commenced a regional training programme aimed at strengthening local governance and service delivery in Rundu, Kavango East.
The training was officially opened by the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, James Sankwasa, who emphasised the importance of empowering local leadership to drive development at grassroots level.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, Kavango West Regional Governor Hambyuka Hamutenya expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development for organising the training. He urged delegates to actively engage in the programme and ensure that the knowledge gained is translated into practical action within their respective towns and villages.
Hamutenya further called on local leaders to take responsibility in addressing poverty and underdevelopment, stressing the need for effective leadership and accountability at local level.
In his keynote address, Minister Sankwasa challenged delegates to rethink poverty in Namibia, describing it as largely self-inflicted rather than natural. “We are too few to be poor. Poverty in Namibia is self-inflicted, not natural,” he said.
The minister also emphasised the need to prioritise Namibian interests in economic development and job creation. Drawing a comparison to global economic policies, Sankwasa said Namibia must adopt a “Namibia First” approach to ensure that opportunities benefit citizens first.
He cautioned local administrators to be vigilant when registering companies and awarding tenders, noting that some foreign nationals use local names to secure business opportunities intended for Namibians. “You may think you are empowering a Namibian, while in reality the benefits go to foreigners,” he warned.
Sankwasa urged local authorities to carefully verify company ownership and ensure that government contracts and employment opportunities genuinely empower Namibians, in line with national development goals.
