Africa-Press – Namibia. WALVIS BAY – President Netumbo Nandi- Ndaitwah has told players in the fishing sector that she is not in Walvis Bay to “play games” but to listen and engage directly with the industry.
The President jetted in yesterday morning, flanked by Vice President, Lucia Witbooi, Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare, minister of agriculture Inge Zaamwani, and justice and labour minister Fillemon Immanuel, to engage the fishing industry.
The industry is currently facing growing tension, with protests and labour disputes becoming a recurring feature. Workers have staged demonstrations calling for fair quota allocations and stronger job security, amid concerns over restructuring and continued layoffs in the sector. Apart from that, the industry, despite reporting over N$10 billion in foreign currency earnings, has imported while battling a decline in fish stocks.
Another bone of contention in the sector is the ongoing dispute surrounding the government’s redress programme, which was intended to provide employment opportunities for fishermen who lost their jobs following the 2015 strike. The programme has faced persistent challenges since its inception, despite various interventions by government aimed at stabilising and improving its implementation
“We are not here to play a blame game. We have come to listen with an open mind to those who experience the realities of this industry every day. I am here to discuss and listen, so that we can understand the challenges facing the industry and find a way forward together,” the President told industry players in a fully packed hall of the Atlantic Hotel.
The President told stakeholders that the engagements form part of the 8th administration’s efforts to oversee the implementation of the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), aligned with the SWAPO Party election manifesto for 2025–2030 and Namibia’s Vision 2030.
She said the fishing industry remains one of the country’s key economic sectors and a strategic national asset, as it continues to provide employment, income, foreign exchange earnings, and contributes to food and nutrition security.
“It is therefore important that this sector is sustainably managed and developed for the benefit of all Namibians. As an executive, we are here to get first-hand information from the industry’s main role players,” she said.
She acknowledged that the sector has undergone significant changes over the years, affecting jobs and livelihoods, adding that the industry is not what it used to be, and that changes—some necessary and others difficult—have affected many Namibians.
“It is through open and constructive engagement that we can develop practical and responsive measures to address these challenges. There are growing concerns around the sustainability of fish stocks, and this requires our collective attention,” she said.
She also appealed to the industry to be mindful and take into consideration the current state of the country’s marine resources, which have been declining.
She added that the engagements are about listening, understanding and reflecting together on the way forward, as well as looking at what is working and where improvements are needed in the sector.
As part of her visit, the President is also expected to tour the Vessel Monitoring System Centre, the research vessel Mirabilis, and fishing factories to observe operations.
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