Plans are afoot to transform the !Homs-Ai Industrial Park at Keetmanshoop is turning into a development training hub equipping young people with skills.
This was revealed during a follow-up oversight meeting the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts and Economy had with the Namibia Industrial Development Agency (NIDA) management in Keetmanshoop.
NIDA's Chief financial officer said the industrial park's transformation will be undertaken in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture (MEIYSAC).
The multi-million-dollar industrial park remains unused after Keetmanshoop Municipality disconnected the water and electricity supply to the premises over unpaid municipal bills.
This forced tenants to move out of their stalls.
Julius Nghikevali is the Chief Financial Officer at NIDA.
"It is still early days, obviously. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done around the planning. But the commitment has already been made, and communications and plans are already being made about travelling between the ministry, NIDA and all the other participants to come and see exactly, specifically for! Homs-Ai. What must be done? How many youth can be accommodated? There is a youth aspect; there is also innovation and entrepreneurial aspect development."
Nghikevali revealed the industrial park's water and electricity remain disconnected after debt settlement negotiations were unsuccessful.
NIDA's municipal bill currently stands at N$4-million.
The committee also questioned the NIDA management over the unauthorised removal of sewing machines by a tenant of Hektas Holdings.
The committee earlier recommended that a criminal case of theft be registered against the tenant.
Meanwhile, NIDA entered into a lease agreement for the 15 sewing machines being used by the tenant at private premises.
It also transpired that the lease agreement lapsed in October while the tenant was still using the sewing machines.
Nghikevali, however, revealed a recommendation for the extension of the said agreement.
Vice Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts and Economy, Leonard Shikulo said, "You make an agreement with the person who stole without authorisation. That's our question. But now you want to tell the people about that in agreement. To make an agreement is not a problem. But when things started, it was not like."