NWR on its way to profitability
NWR seems to be on the right track to profitability, but it urgently needs to do something about the state of its resorts.
Tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta says Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) is depending less on the government and will soon show a profit.
Nevertheless, the minister expressed concern about the poor conditions at some NWR facilities and said it was a priority for the state-owned enterprise (SOE) to maintain these facilities.
Over the years, Shifeta has demanded that NWR become a profitable SOE and stop being a consistent drain on state coffers.
He attributed the success at NWR to cost-cutting methods and good management.
“I was told that for the first time NWR may record a profit. However, this is not formal yet. I am just saying they can now be self-sustaining.
“It's not like it used to be when they used to come asking for money from government and their workers were not paid.
“Their camps are now full. They will definitely realise a profit and will address the issues of deplorable facilities.”
Shifeta said he was not happy with what he had seen at some NWR facilities, especially in Etosha National Park.
“This should be a priority,” he emphasised.
Shifeta also stressed that maintaining and upgrading facilities was not the role of the ministry.
“We are already looking after the parks and the roads. We hope that things will be done properly.”
NWR is one of the largest tourism companies in the country and inherited well-developed infrastructure.
Shifeta had previously said that several commercial SOEs in Namibia were not performing well and were leaning too much on the government for support.
He had warned that if an SOE continued making a loss and needing government bailouts, it should either be liquidated or a drastic change should be made at the company.
NWR spokesperson Mufaro Nesongano also said that NWR had made significant headway and was well on its way to profitability and sustainability.
“Over the past two years, NWR ceased receiving any subsidy from government and has relied on its funding to go about its business.”
He added that NWR recently came out on top in the office of the prime minister's first Citizen Satisfaction Survey.
The survey was carried out by the Harold Pupkewitz Graduate School of Business at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust).
The study was an initiative of the government as part of its commitment to improved service delivery by government departments and state-owned enterprises.
NWR was selected to be part of a list of 41 service providers across 19 service sectors to take part in the survey and consistently came up top in all the elements of the survey.
The survey report concluded that there was an opportunity for NWR to build on its strengths and coordinate efforts to maintain the better-than-average delivery in all its service categories.
The report further stated that NWR now had the challenge of consolidating and building on the 70% average service rating required by the government's Harambee Prosperity Plan.
ELLANIE SMIT
Nevertheless, the minister expressed concern about the poor conditions at some NWR facilities and said it was a priority for the state-owned enterprise (SOE) to maintain these facilities.
Over the years, Shifeta has demanded that NWR become a profitable SOE and stop being a consistent drain on state coffers.
He attributed the success at NWR to cost-cutting methods and good management.
“I was told that for the first time NWR may record a profit. However, this is not formal yet. I am just saying they can now be self-sustaining.
“It's not like it used to be when they used to come asking for money from government and their workers were not paid.
“Their camps are now full. They will definitely realise a profit and will address the issues of deplorable facilities.”
Shifeta said he was not happy with what he had seen at some NWR facilities, especially in Etosha National Park.
“This should be a priority,” he emphasised.
Shifeta also stressed that maintaining and upgrading facilities was not the role of the ministry.
“We are already looking after the parks and the roads. We hope that things will be done properly.”
NWR is one of the largest tourism companies in the country and inherited well-developed infrastructure.
Shifeta had previously said that several commercial SOEs in Namibia were not performing well and were leaning too much on the government for support.
He had warned that if an SOE continued making a loss and needing government bailouts, it should either be liquidated or a drastic change should be made at the company.
NWR spokesperson Mufaro Nesongano also said that NWR had made significant headway and was well on its way to profitability and sustainability.
“Over the past two years, NWR ceased receiving any subsidy from government and has relied on its funding to go about its business.”
He added that NWR recently came out on top in the office of the prime minister's first Citizen Satisfaction Survey.
The survey was carried out by the Harold Pupkewitz Graduate School of Business at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust).
The study was an initiative of the government as part of its commitment to improved service delivery by government departments and state-owned enterprises.
NWR was selected to be part of a list of 41 service providers across 19 service sectors to take part in the survey and consistently came up top in all the elements of the survey.
The survey report concluded that there was an opportunity for NWR to build on its strengths and coordinate efforts to maintain the better-than-average delivery in all its service categories.
The report further stated that NWR now had the challenge of consolidating and building on the 70% average service rating required by the government's Harambee Prosperity Plan.
ELLANIE SMIT
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