God ‘angry’ at Namibia’s poverty

Swapo members of parliament say Namibia’s mineral riches are sufficient to deal poverty a serious blow, with backbencher Elifas Dingara predicting that God is currently angry that the resources He has endowed the country with are not used to address suffering.

Dingara – who last year made headlines for tabling a motion for every Namibian to be granted N$1 million – said there is ‘nothing in the world’ that would convince him why poverty is high in the country, amid all its resources.

He was hauled before the Swapo parliamentary caucus last year and told to withdraw his motion for every Namibian to receive N$1 million from the state. He was rapped over the knuckles for not consulting the party first before tabling the motion, which has been described as ‘a joke’ by some Swapo insiders.

Seemingly unshaken, Dingara returned with more fire in his belly last week, saying: “I don’t think there will be someone in this world who can convince me that a country that is so rich with resources must include the ordinary people only in roads where they will benefit - as if all of them will drive”.

“I strongly feel that as Namibians, we must think and use our mind so that money and resources reach every Namibian. We must find a way. We have the gold, and apparently our uranium deposit only competes with Russia, which is number one in the world. Now, how can the people be poor? I am sure God is angry with us, truly,” the former unionist said.

50/50 stake

Also spitting fire was Swapo parliamentarian Jerry Ekandjo, who said there is need to realign the Namibian mining regime. He further questioned whether it would do any harm if government ensured that it has a 50/50 stake in key mineral activities.

“Can this [National] Assembly assist the ministry to amend the Act so we can get 50%? Those people [foreigners] are shipping out our resources and yet we say Namibia is rich,” he said.

Ekandjo, a long-serving former minister, was contributing to the discussion about uranium, which can be used to produce energy for the country.

“Currently, we get electricity from South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Where do they get it? We have uranium here; if you go to France, they are using our [resources]. Or look at the map of Europe, you will see it is light and it is dark here [Africa],” he said.

Equity shareholding

Mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo remarked that while Namibia has plenty of mineral resources, the question is how they will be used to address socioeconomic challenges.

He noted that the resources must be exported to make money for the country and it cannot be concentrated in individual ownership. He acknowledged the need for increased ownership, and said they are reviewing the Minerals (Prospecting and Mining) Act to address this.

Previously, Alweendo – while speaking on The Agenda – said although Namibia has only 10% equity share in oil discovered off its coast, conservative estimates by government show that the country stands to benefit up to 55% of revenues generated from such operations.

What should matter to Namibians is how much the country will get from the resource, rather than the amount of equity it has in the actual exploitation, he said.

“Equity shareholding should not be seen as the only way to benefit from oil,” the minister said, adding that if higher stakes are accrued, the government would be required to put up capital.

“No investor will agree to an arrangement where you own significant equity but you have no financial obligation towards the project,” he said.

Alweendo repeated this stance last week when he told fellow lawmakers: “While I agree that let us have that [increased] ownership... it is not true that I can demand 50% [equity] and they [investors] should invest.”

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