The Omaheke State Veterinary Department has started to sensitise farming communities on how to control external parasites on their animals following the outbreak of Crimean-Congo Fever in the region.

The virus is transmitted to people either by tick bites or through contact with infected animals blood or tissues during and immediately after slaughter.

The regional veterinary team is also planning to do some sample testing at various farms to establish areas of concern.

The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) is taking part in the e-Governance conference in Tallinn, Estonia.

The conference, which focuses on digital innovation and its role in driving social change and transformation, brings together decision-makers, policy implementers, and donors to discuss the future of digital governance.

In an interview with nbc News, Shoki Kandjimi, a Senior Public Relations Officer at MICT, highlighted Namibia's objectives for attending the conference.

Some students studying in Cuba under the Cuban-funded scholarship say they face an ongoing issue in terms of inadequate monthly stipends paid to them.

The prices of goods and services have significantly risen, they say, making it increasingly difficult to make ends meet on the current stipend provided through the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund scholarship (NSFAF).

Currently, seven students receive a monthly stipend from NSFAF.

The stipend amount is set at N$2,000, which is slightly over US$130 per month.

Namibia could soon allow the submission of tenders online, and bidders would receive their awards in the same way.

Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila revealed this during a courtesy call by an Indian investment and trade delegation at State House.

The move to allow online tendering is part of the country's broader objective to embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The Namibian government hopes that the automation of the tendering system and other services will further help eliminate unethical conduct.

Residents of the ||Kharas Region have thrown their support behind the motion on the writing-off of water and electricity debts that local authorities owe bulk suppliers, NamWater and NamPower.

They shared their sentiments at the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Resources and Community Development public hearing at Keetmanshoop.
 
Defaulters owe NamWater N$1.7 billion, while the debt owed to NamPower stands at N$1.5 billion.

Figures revealed that local authorities are the biggest defaulters.

The Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises, Ipumbu Shiimi, has directed public entities not to enter into financial agreements that exempt lenders from the required tendering processes as stated in the Procurement Act.

This directive follows a local outcry regarding a road project funded by the German development agency, KfW Development Bank, that excluded local construction companies due to strict financial and technical pre-qualification requirements.

UNICEF's Manager for Social Policy at the Namibia Country Office, Jecob Nyamadzwao, says cash benefits for disability grants in many countries cannot cover the basic expenses of people with disabilities, let alone extra costs.

Nyamadzawo shared these sentiments at a Disability Budget Analysis and Inception meeting in the capital.

The government recently increased the disability grant to N$1,300, a move seen as a relief by many.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources has called on the Ministry of Mines and Energy to decentralise its operations to better serve small-scale miners in rural areas.

At a meeting in Swakopmund, the MPs emphasised that small-scale miners bear exorbitant costs to travel to Windhoek for services.

Although there are offices of the Mines Ministry in the regions, the parliamentarians argued that such offices are located in towns.

Members of Parliament and stakeholders have expressed worry over the monitoring of mining activities as Namibia only has three mining inspectors.

The Mining Commissioner, Isabella Kandjii-Chirchir, confirmed that the situation is a challenge for the Ministry of Mines and Energy.

Among other functions, mining inspectors conduct inspections of mining operations and recommend remedial actions.

Namibia is hosting a high-profile regional workshop on Diaspora Engagement.

The workshop aims to recognise the significant contributions of the diaspora to economies and develop a regional framework to facilitate their involvement in national development plans.

The workshop, among others, focuses on the impact of remittances on poverty reduction and national development.