Debate on the Petroleum Amendment Bill resumed in the National Assembly, with MPs supporting the bill pointing out that the draft legislation will improve oversight, attract investment and support local content and skills development.

While supporting the bill, Swapo Party MP Justina Jonas requested that the bill include enforceable labour protection focused on local employment priorities and equal pay for equal work.

"Petroleum wealth must uplift Namibian people, especially the working class, through decent jobs, fair pay, safe conditions and real-scale transfer. Let us build a sector that is not only profitable but also just inclusive and centred on the working class working and wanting to work in this sector."

In her contribution Finance Minister Erica Shafudah accused MPs opposing the bill of demonising the placement of upstream petroleum units in the presidency instead of providing informed guidelines on how these resources must be shared by all Namibians.

"We have not done justice to the bill, but I have observed our political speeches concentrating only on why we are in the presidency. We have not, with few exceptions, had concerns from the other side of the house that, in terms of natural resource beneficiation, Namibia would best benefit from the petroleum resources."

However, IPC MP Vilho Ihemba stressed that it is about controlling access to billions of Namibian dollars in international wealth and not simply about attracting investors.

"It is about determining who receives exploration rights, who receives production rights, who negotiates contracts, who supervises compliance and who monitors revenues and, ultimately, who exercises influence over resources that belong not to government, not to political parties, not to individuals, but to the people of Namibia."