PDM accuses Geingob of lying
The Popular Democratic Movement's (PDM) Ohangwena regional coordinator, Hidipo Hamata, says President Hage Geingob misinformed the nation last week when he announced that poverty in the region had dropped by 60%.
Last week Thursday during his speech at the official opening of the sixth Swapo Party elective congress, Geingob said during the period 1993 to 2016 the poverty rate in the Ohangwena Region had dropped 60%.
At the weekend during the opening of a new PDM branch in Oshikango Hamata said they were shocked when they heard Geingob's remarks.
He said the poverty level in Ohangwena remained high because of high unemployment, especially among the youth.
“Geingob's remarks on Ohangwena Region cannot go unchallenged as they are tantamount to lies and painting our region with good colours while in reality it's not as it is on the ground,” Hamata said.
He referred to media reports on young women resorting to prostitution in the streets of Oshikango to make ends meet, as well as the increasing crime in the region.
Hamata added that it was no secret that young men and women were selling smuggled goods in Ohangwena, which he attributed to extreme poverty in the region.
“We want to categorically tell the Namibian nation that unemployment in Ohangwena Region did not change, it remains the way it has been since independence. Our people have no means of employment,” Hamata said.
He called on Geingob to rephrase his statement and apologise to the people of Ohangwena Region.
Hamata acknowledged that it was good of Geingob to inform the Swapo congress delegates about the poverty and unemployment in Namibia in order to find solutions to these issues.
KENYA KAMBOWE
Last week Thursday during his speech at the official opening of the sixth Swapo Party elective congress, Geingob said during the period 1993 to 2016 the poverty rate in the Ohangwena Region had dropped 60%.
At the weekend during the opening of a new PDM branch in Oshikango Hamata said they were shocked when they heard Geingob's remarks.
He said the poverty level in Ohangwena remained high because of high unemployment, especially among the youth.
“Geingob's remarks on Ohangwena Region cannot go unchallenged as they are tantamount to lies and painting our region with good colours while in reality it's not as it is on the ground,” Hamata said.
He referred to media reports on young women resorting to prostitution in the streets of Oshikango to make ends meet, as well as the increasing crime in the region.
Hamata added that it was no secret that young men and women were selling smuggled goods in Ohangwena, which he attributed to extreme poverty in the region.
“We want to categorically tell the Namibian nation that unemployment in Ohangwena Region did not change, it remains the way it has been since independence. Our people have no means of employment,” Hamata said.
He called on Geingob to rephrase his statement and apologise to the people of Ohangwena Region.
Hamata acknowledged that it was good of Geingob to inform the Swapo congress delegates about the poverty and unemployment in Namibia in order to find solutions to these issues.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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