The government has maintained its stance on the export of minerals in their raw forms.

The Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy, Kornelia Shilunga, reiterated this stance when the Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises sought clarity following the announcement prohibiting the export of critical minerals without value addition.

As the discussion of the energy transition progresses, countries globally are recognising the growing importance of what are referred to as critical minerals.

These include minerals such as lithium, cobalt, graphite, and tanzanite.

Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy Kornelia Shilunga says while significant oil investment is expected to flow into Namibia, it is not a given that prosperity will follow.

Shilunga was speaking at the Copper Festival in Tsumeb, held under the theme 'Empowering Entrepreneurship in a Sustainable Namibia'.

Last year, oil and gas were discovered in commercial quantities offshore the Namibian basins by Total Energies and Shell, together with their partner Namcor.

The Andre Messika Diamond has given shares to its employees worth N$180,000.

The company has a workforce of 75, of which 40% are people with disabilities.

Andre Messika Diamond is the largest employer of people with disabilities in the diamond sector.

The Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy, Kornelia Shilunga, says it is fundamentally important to manage the assets of the government.

Shilunga addressed the launch of the ministry's automated fleet management system (FMS).

In 2017, the ministry identified the need to automate the fleet management business process.

The Landless People's Movement (LPM) Member of Parliament, Hennie Seibeb. has called for the enactment of laws to control and manage lithium mining in Namibia.

Seibeb said this when he motivated his motion in the National Assembly, which was supported by many MPs.

The recent discovery of one of Earth's rare mineral resources, lithium, has sparked intense exploration interests among many.

The Erongo Region, and more particularly the surrounding areas of Uis and Omatjetje, have now become areas of attraction and places of interest for potential investors.

Mines and Energy Ministry aims to attract more investors and embrace innovation as well as improve transparency in the industry. 

The ministry further pledges to continue to support small miners and contribute to job creation.

This was the remark of its Deputy Minister Kornelia Shilunga when tabling the ministry's budget of N$250 million for the 2023-2024 financial year in the National Assembly today.

The minister plans to invest more in geoscience and research and energy resources. 

Stakeholders in the electricity distribution industry are in talks to determine whether or not to establish a central regional electricity distributor. 

The Central Red would cater to Windhoek and surrounding areas. 

Even though some stakeholders agree that REDS come with added benefits, others are not so convinced. The stakeholder consultations will allow the participants to scrutinize and provide counter recommendations.

Nineteen students were awarded a national vocational certificate in community counseling services at the Heritage Management Institute in Windhoek.

The graduates were encouraged to carry out their duties of caring for their patients and act in their best interest, protecting their rights and confidentiality.

The founder and director of the Heritage Management Institute, Lovisa Uukelo, wished the graduates well on their new journey.