The Chairperson of the Namibian Hydrogen Council has reiterated that the government is resolute in realising the N$200 billion green hydrogen project.
Obeth Kandjoze denounced as 'small talk' the assertions from some quarters that the project is a pipe dream.
He made the remarks at the consultative meeting with members of the Southern Traditional Community Foundation at Vaalgras in the ||Kharas Region.
The government recently signed an implementation agreement with Hyphen Hydrogen Energy for the green hydrogen project.
The project is expected to create an estimated 15,000 jobs during the construction phase and 3,000 permanent jobs during its operation.
90% of these jobs will be filled by Namibians, and 30% will be local procurement of goods, services, and materials during the construction and operational phases.
At full development, the project will produce two million metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually from five to six gigawatts of renewable generation capacity and a three-gigawatt electrolyser.
The construction phase is anticipated to commence during the first quarter of 2026.
Kandjoze calls on the southern communities to position themselves to take advantage of the opportunities the project will offer.
"An opportunity of this kind cannot come to an area like this with its hope to turn whatever the greyness into something green, and you don't grab the chance. When you get that chance to even be a bricklayer, moet dit nie los nie (grab it with both your hands)."
Also speaking at the occasion was Southern Traditional Community Foundation Chairperson, Gaob Dawid Gertze.
"There is always when we talk about development, the question of who are the beneficiating or benefactors in the south. Now that we are no longer a social responsibility organ, it's good to have it, but we are not looking to get some spinoffs that come from a development project in the south; we want to be part of the project, and we want substantive shareholding in whatever format or sense to make a meaningful contribution to the lives of our people."