‘Stop with the imported goods’

Erwin Leuschner - The extended lockdown and accompanying restrictions have had a major impact on the economy of the Erongo region, not only triggering an existential crisis for local companies, but also for the entire Namibian economy, Verna Sinimbo, the deputy minister for industrialisation and trade, said in Swakopmund last week.

She called on Namibians to support local companies in order to revive the economy.

The #BuyLocal #GrowNamibia initiative was launched at the beginning of the month. Last week Sinimbo started the campaign in the Erongo region.

At Swakopmund’s Karakulia industrial park, she was very clear: “I want to see Namibians feel guilty if they don’t buy a local product and opt for an imported one instead.”

Sinimbo recalled the drastic lockdown measures that government introduced in March in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which was a hard blow for the business world – especially in the Erongo region, where a much longer lockdown had been in place.

“The ministry calls on all Namibians to revitalise the local economy and implement the #BuyLocal #GrowNamibia concept,” she said.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular should benefit from the initiative.

In this light, there will soon be a call for these companies to register to sell their products on this platform. In addition, retailers and the Namibian Standards Institute (NSI) will organise a workshop with small businesses with the aim of educating them on what is needed to sell their products in retail stores.

‘ONLY BY GOD’S GRACE’

At the same event, Anett Kötting of the Swakopmund branch of the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN), said that the tourism industry was particularly hard hit by Covid-19.

“But we quickly saw that the tourism industry influences all areas of the economy. Not only hospitality businesses are affected, but also SMEs and many other businesses,” she said.

Hafeni Nghidipaya, owner of the tour company Hafeni Tours, agreed. “I’m about to have my first tour since March. How did I survive this time? Only by God’s grace,” he said.

“We have to protect our local economy. We have to create jobs, but at the same time ensure that business remains open. But that’s easier said than done.”