THE Northern Business Community took to the streets on Friday to demand that the government should strictly control and regulate foreign-owned businesses.
This demand follows after local business owners complained of their businesses being affected by the continuous health regulations implemented by the Namibia Government to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Different groups of disgruntled business owners marched on the offices of the various regional governors in Oshikoto, Oshana, Omusati and Ohangwena regions to hand over their petition.
The protestors said they want to see that foreign investors stick to their line of business and that all retail business activities should be handled by the locals only.
“Foreign investors should be made to concentrate on manufacturing in bulk and to do business in other specialised areas where the local business have no capacity,” they noted.
The groups felt that the retail business they do is the lifeblood of many communities and also the national economy because they employ a lot of people which in turn increases trade and industrial development of the country.
They added that unemployment has skyrocketed as a result of the strict health regulations and the subsequent lack of government support.
Speaking on behalf of protestors in Ohangwena Region, Tamuti Shakela, said the local business community conducting trade in Namibia have been and continue to be the backbone of support of the country and will always rally in ensuring that development and prosperity are brought to all Namibians.
Shakela said, since 2020, many businesses were closed down as a result of the challenges brought on by strict health regulations.
He noted that most of the affected businesses were established and set up through bank loans and because of the pandemic many are now unable to repay what is due to the financial institutions resulting in job losses.
Many of the business people are under pressure to sell their other property to repay banks while many others are losing their jobs and livelihood.
In this regard, the business community requested the government to engage the Banking Regulation Authority as well as all commercial banking institutions to grant them payment holidays or some kind of other relief for at least six months.
The same repayment relief was requested from municipalities with regard to rates and taxes that are due.
The protestors indicated that they expect feedback from the government within 14 working days from the date of handing in their various petitions.
Accepting the petition, Ohangwena Region governor Walde Ndevashiya, promised to channel the demands to the relevant authorities for answers.
The regional governors of the Oshana, the Omusati, and the Oshikoto regions also promised to deliver the petitions of protestors to the relevant authorities.
