Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo has emphasised the need to ensure that the new oil discoveries benefit ordinary Namibians and not merely those that are connected.

“How do we ensure that all Namibians benefit? And by ‘Namibians’ I am not referring to the ‘connected’ middlemen who approach investors with their family album instead of their CV. I am, instead, referring to the deserving sons and daughters who have little or no access,” said Alweendo here on Wednesday, during the Namibia International Energy Conference.

He stressed that it shall be made a requirement for international oil companies to ensure that all services that can be immediately provided by local entrepreneurs be sourced locally.

Alweendo further emphasised that in cases where local entrepreneurs are not able to provide certain services, the government will need to have a clear programme as to how to capacitate local entrepreneurs, through joint ventures with experienced international service providers.

“I have no doubt that our recent oil discoveries can and must help unlock industrial activities through the transfer of technology, more value addition in domestic supply sectors, the generation of indirect jobs along the supply chain, and the creation of business opportunities for entrepreneurs from local procurement,” said Alweendo.

He further noted that partnership between State and investors should be of mutual benefit, which allows for parties to share risks and reward.

Alweendo further mentioned that the discoveries have been made in the “era of reimaging”, which provides the framework for Government to reimagine Namibia’s socio-economic landscape in ways that benefit Namibians in the present and the future.

“Our management and exploitation of natural resources cannot continue ‘business as usual’. We need to manage the resources with a clear understanding that the resources and the benefits derived from them belong to both the current and future generations,” he noted.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency