Pretoria: Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Youth, Civic Relations and Community Development, Marlayn Mbakera, has called for the National Youth Development Fund to introduce grant funding alongside loans and review its application requirements to enable more young people to benefit. Speaking during the committee's oversight visit to Omuthiya, Mbakera highlighted the challenges aspiring entrepreneurs face in qualifying for the programme, despite their eagerness to participate.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Mbakera noted that many applicants struggle with requirements such as maintaining a good credit score, having a clear ITC record, and no history of banking defaults. She emphasized the need for grants in addition to loans and urged a revision of the selection criteria to increase the fund's accessibility. Mbakera also pointed out the low approval rate and stressed the importance of providing more support to young people throughout the application process. "We can do better. We are supposed to guide the youth. Find out why the majority apply and only a few make it to get approved for the fund. The youth are not benefiting how they are supposed to benefit from this financial support," she stated.
The oversight visit is part of the committee's constitutional duty to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the National Youth Development Fund and the rollout of Constituency Basic Sports Facilities. Oshikoto Governor Sacky Kathindi reiterated the significance of these programmes, labeling them as flagship interventions of the 8th Administration aimed at empowering young people. Kathindi expressed concern over implementation challenges, such as the lack of designs, technical specifications, and consultants, coupled with bureaucratic bottlenecks and inadequate information flow, which have delayed the construction of sports facilities despite groundbreaking ceremonies held in March.
Agribank Northern Branch Manager Etuhole Ingo disclosed that 43 applications totaling N.dollars 12.6 million were submitted from Oshikoto, with six applications valued at N.dollars 2.6 million receiving approval. "Most applications lacked business viability and were submitted without all the required supporting documents," Ingo stated. The approved projects, which include horticulture, cooking oil production, poultry, piggery, fodder production, and agro-processing, are anticipated to generate 45 jobs in the region.