Finance Minister has dismissed allegations from some quarters speculating that TransNamib will be liquidated. Making a ministerial statement in the National Assembly this morning, Ipumbu Shiimi says TransNamib as a commercial entity will not be shut down. Shiimi stated that the parastatal is the sole operator of the 2687 km long rail infrastructure in the country, which also connects with South Africa, and will therefore not be liquidated. He stressed that plans are to extend this rail network into neighbouring countries to promote trade through transportation. He says over the past two years, the government spent N$90 million on TransNamib while a loan of N$410 million has been written off by the government to boost its balance sheet. TransNamib has been allowed to source a loan of N$2, 4 billion from DBN and the Bank of Southern Africa. The minister, therefore, maintained that TransNamib is a strategic entity and the government will do everything to ensure it remains the country's engine and economic and trade activities.