Nearly N$500 000 pledged for OTIE

The eighth edition of the Ondangwa Trade and Industrial Exhibition (OTIE) fundraising event that was held at the weekend collected nearly N$500 000 in pledges.This year's expo, which will run from 27 April up to 5 May, takes place under the theme 'Embracing economic growth through entrepreneurship'.FNB Namibia made the highest pledge of N$60 000 followed by Emirates Construction and MTC with pledges of N$50 000 and N$30 000, respectively.The total amount of money pledged was N$485 300.The fundraising event was graced by the presence international relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga and deputy mines minister Kornelia Shilunga. Nandi-Ndaitwah, who was the keynote speaker, commended the Ondangwa town council's developmental efforts, especially in terms of attracting investors that focus on manufacturing.“I commend the owners of these businesses for bringing closer the idea of making Namibia a manufacturing economy, as envisioned in our national developmental plans and industrialisation policy,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said. Regarding the expo, she said the town council is creating a platform for corporates and businesses to showcase their products and services, while creating business networks.“The dynamic of the exhibition has also changed, to the extent that it is no longer concentrating on being an exhibition, but an element of being a business forum and networking has been introduced,” she said. Nandi-Ndaitwah also stressed the necessity of wealth creation and economic growth, which she said results in job creation and poverty eradication.Town council CEO Ismael Namgongo said the expo exists with the purpose of raising funds for council, while creating a platform for businesses and manufacturers to market their products and attract investors to the town.“The overall purpose of the expo is to give impetus to business and trading activities and stimulate economic and industrial activities in and around Ondangwa. As such, we consider this event to be one of the significant processes aimed at contributing to the development efforts of our beloved country,” Namgongo said.Oshana governor Clemens Kashuupulwa said he is proud of the Ondangwa town council and its stakeholders for developing the town and attracting investors.He also used the opportunity to say that political detractors who are of the opinion that Ondangwa will turn into a ghost town are being proven wrong by the efforts of the town council.“I always have trust in the leadership of Ondangwa town and its residents for their capacity to explore all potentialities to speed up the developmental process of this beautiful town and thereby discouraging our political detractors, who have been dreaming Ondangwa becoming ghost town,” Kashuupulwa said.KENYA KAMBOWE

Nearly N$500 000 pledged for OTIE

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-01

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Nearly N$500 000 pledged for OTIE

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-01

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