NORED customers in the Oshana Region owe the electricity utility N$3.6 million.

Of this, N$734,000 has been outstanding for more than a year.

The information was shared during the hearing of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resources and Development at Oshakati on the motion to write off historic electricity and water debts in the Oshana, Oshikoto, and Otjozondjupa Regions.

The motion was tabled by the Landless People's Movement's (LPM) MP, Henny Seibeb.

Oshana Governor Elia Irimari has encouraged female parliamentarians participating in a capacity-building workshop for women parliamentarians in Oshakati to advocate for more funding for the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (nbc).

This step is essential to enabling the broadcaster to expand its reach across all 14 regions of the country.

The Oshakati Town Council has resolved to endorse the sale of a controversial 1.7-hectare prime land, previously known as Omatala in Oshakati, to business mogul Erastus 'Chicco' Shapumba.

The land was sold in 2017 for only N$2.5 million, and the council has since proposed a new price.

Situated along the Oshakati main road, the piece of land for decades used to house the town's open market.

The tobacco epidemic is recognised as one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever encountered.

This statement was made by the Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Kalumbi Shangula, during the commemoration of World No Tobacco Day, held in Oshakati.

According to the World Health Organisation, tobacco use is responsible for killing up to half of its users.

About six million people die each year due to tobacco-related causes.