Malawi Wire

The Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC) has encouraged the public to report suspicious price exploitations by some retailers, amidst continuous food and goods price increases.

In a recent interview with Nampa, NaCC Corporate Communications Practitioner Dina ||Gowases said retailers in Namibia are not subjected to price caps as they operate in a space where the market dictates the ultimate price, noting however that in events where retailers collaborate to increase the prices of goods and services, the commission may intervene to investigate possible collusive conduct.

“There are isolated circumstances where some retailers may have a competitive advantage over others such as retailers that are in gated communities or alone in a specific town or location… In this instance, such a retailer may be inclined to raise prices to the detriment of consumers as it faces no competition in that area,” said ||Gowases.

She explained the commission can only ensure fair price competition and consumer choices through monitoring prices of goods and services in the market when it receives complaints or information from the general public.

||Gowases emphasised that NaCC does not prescribe prices that should be charged and only intervenes when it is suspected that prices are excessive.

“When suspected excessive prices are reported it may then carry out a price-cost test to determine reasonability. General price increases are usually regulated at the macroeconomic level, through instruments such as the monetary policy which is the custodian of the Bank of Namibia,” she noted.

She further indicated that about 20 large supermarkets in various locations across Namibia were reported to the commission in 2020 during the COVID-19 outbreak for price exploitations up to 600 per cent. Preliminary cost analyses however found that most cases were a result of imported limited supply and high transportation costs due to global oil price increases.

||Gowases noted that the commission’s main challenge is the competition jurisprudence which is still in its infancy stage, adding that certain conduct is not always detectable as it is done in secrecy.

“NaCC wishes to encourage the public to report any potential anti-competitive behaviour in any sector of the Namibian economy. NaCC has a Corporate Leniency Programme where firms that have been engaging in collusive behaviour can self-report and be afforded leniency for their conduct,” she said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Namibia and the Netherlands on Monday signed a Letter of Intent on a visa waiver agreement for Official and Diplomatic passport holders, as well as a readmission agreement between the two countries.

Ambassador Mekondjo Kaapanda-Girnus of Namibia to the Netherlands and Ambassador of the Netherlands to Namibia, Han Peters signed on behalf of Namibia and the Netherlands, respectively, during a working State visit by Mette Frederiksen, Prime Minister of Denmark, and Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands.

In her remarks, Kaapanda-Girnus said the negotiations for the two agreements between the two countries began earlier this month and that these negotiations will continue.

“The readmission agreement will regulate, where necessary, the return of nationals to our respective countries. The visa waiver agreement will make it possible for Namibians with diplomatic and official passports to not only travel to the Netherlands but also Belgium and Luxembourg without a visa,” Kaapanda-Girnus said.

This, Kaapanda-Girnus said, will allow high-level dialogue, maintain friendly relationships and build partnerships.

“The more we get to meet, talk and work together, the more we can build these partnerships in areas such as business, trade and investment, culture and education, and so forth,” the Namibian ambassador said.

“Today you get three countries for the price of one. I look forward to fruitful negotiations and the conclusion of this very important agreement,” the Dutch ambassador said.

Meanwhile, the Presidency in a media statement availed recently said, the working visit would discuss green hydrogen and energy transition, noting that the discovery of oil and the promotion of green hydrogen as part of the energy transition have drawn the world’s attention to Namibia.

“Namibia looks forward to working with Denmark, whose strategy pushes for the production and use of green hydrogen in sectors like shipping and aviation, as well as heavy transport and industry,” it said.

Therefore, this occasion presents an opportune moment for Namibia to engage in a constructive dialogue on energy, it added.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The department of works in the Ministry of Works and Transport has been found with discrepancies of N.dollars 273 737 involving eight staff members during the 2021/2022 financial year.

A report of the Auditor General tabled in Parliament recently indicated that the discrepancies of N.dollars 68 647 was found between the principal debt reported by the accounting officer and the documents submitted for audit purposes for eight staff members.

It said eight staff members with a total debt balance of N.dollars 189 205 was reported at the end April 2021, however, the audit found that there was no recovery of these debts during the financial year.

It equally indicated that a discrepancy of N.dollars 15 888 was found in the reported amounts recovered from staff members during the financial year under review.

“It was recommended that the accounting officer should ensure that correct information is provided for audit purposes,” it read.

Meanwhile, the report also indicated that the department has received a qualified audit opinion, noting a total budget for the department of works was underspent with an amount of N.dollars 20 382 587, representing 3.5 per cent.

“This money could have been utilised for other projects. The accounting officer should put measures in place to avoid under expenditure and should ensure that all planned programmes are implemented,” the report recommended.

The report further noted the unauthorised expenditure of eight subdivisions for a total amount of N.dollars 633 080 during the period under review.

“It is recommended that the accounting officer should closely monitor and review the financial position of the department on a continuous basis and take appropriate action timeously to avoid unauthorised expenditure in future,” it said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The national government has distributed BT cotton seeds worth Sh3 million to crop farmers in Homa Bay County.

The seeds, donated by Rivatex, were distributed to 71 farmer groups across the county.

Speaking when he launched the seed distribution exercise at Magare village in Homa Bay Town constituency Saturday, Industry PS Dr. Juma Mukhwana said the government is partnering with 14 counties, including Homa Bay, to promote cotton crops.

Dr. Mukhwana said the national government has allocated Sh250 million to each of these counties, while the recipients will also allocate a similar amount for the project.

‘We intend to supply cooperative societies in the localities with inputs, which farmers can get during planting and pay for the same later,’ he said.

‘Plans are underway to install ginneries for processing the cotton to be produced. The government is providing this kind of support to promote cotton production across the country,’ said the PS, adding that farmers will also be provided with pesticides to aid in the production of the crop.

At the same time, the government will also establish industrial parks in the identified counties.

The PS said the government had identified Riwa in Karachuonyo constituency for the establishment of the special economic zone.

Dr. Mukhwana said they want to establish the park and a cotton factory in Homa Bay to create job opportunities for the youth.

The PS was hosted by Governor Gladys Wanga, her Deputy Oyugi Magwanga, and Homa Bay Deputy County Commissioner Jude Wasonga.

Others present were Rivatex Managing Director Thomas Kurgat, his counterparts at Rift Valley Products Ltd. (Salawa Ginnery), Sital Panara, and Thika Cotton Mill Ltd. Managing Director Tesal Dodiyia.

Cotton used to be one of the main cash crops in Nyanza in the 1980s and 1990s before it collapsed due to the mismanagement of cooperative societies.

Wanga said Homa Bay is partnering with Kisumu and Migori counties to revive cotton production.

The model will ensure the crop is produced in large quantities and farmers are paid on time.

Wanga said the collapse of the ginneries adversely affected the local economy.

‘The establishment of new ginneries will bring back the lost glory of cotton farming. Our partnership with other counties will ensure more production of the crop,’ she said.

Homa Bay has been one of the major suppliers of the crop to ginneries at the Salawa processing industry in Baringo County.

Last year alone, the county supplied 435,000 kilograms of cotton to ginneries across the country.

Wanga challenged youths to join cotton farming for economic empowerment, noting that the current aging farmers needed support.

The governor expressed concern that agricultural production in the county will decline if youths shun agriculture.

‘There is a need for proper management of the cooperative societies. Youths should now develop and invest in cotton farming and support the county,’ she said.

Kurgat and Panara said they are ready to support Homa Bay farmers to produce good-quality cotton.

‘The buy Kenya-build Kenya clarion call will only be realized if we embark on serious production of cotton,’ Kurgat said.

Stakeholders in the cotton sector lauded the government for raising taxes on imported garments in the just-released budget, saying the move will protect local textile industries.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Dairy farmers from Meru Central Dairy Cooperative Union have promised to increase milk production capacity from the current 406,000 to 1 million liters per day following various interventions by the government.

The union, which has a membership of more than 30,000 farmers drawn from the Mount Kenya East region, held their eighth annual dairy farmers field day Friday, which was presided over by President Dr. William Ruto, who promised to ensure a reduction of sex semen from the current Sh 8,000 to Sh 1,500.

This will be enhanced by the acquisition of a machine that will produce 500,000 doses of sex semen as opposed to the current status, where the semen is usually imported.

Led by the union’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Kenneth Gitonga, the farmers said the move is a major milestone for milk production as the number of heifers will increase among the dairy farmers.

‘Our main aim for holding this field day is to see how we can increase our milk production both for local consumption and export in order to increase our earnings. We have cows, but the average production of milk is still low, with an average production per farmer standing at five litres.

‘Our agenda is how to increase the productivity of our cows from five to ten litres and this will now be a dream come true following interventions by the President,’ said Gitonga.

Gitonga added that the union had already acquired a piece of land where they were set to establish a factory for the manufacturing of animal feeds in order to ensure that farmers have access to cheap and standard animal feeds.

‘We are grateful that the government has also promised to give us Sh100 million out of the Sh200 million we require to set up the industry, and this will go a long way in boosting our milk production as a dairy union,’ said Gitonga.

He also lauded the government for promising to zero-rate the prices of animal feeds’ raw materials in the proposed Finance Bill 2023, adding that this will automatically lower the prices of animal feeds.

Nicholas Kirimi, a farmer who attended the field day, called on the farmers to consider rearing more dairy cows to create employment as well as improve their living standards.

‘It is very clear that dairy farming is set to be the next gold mine, and we need to grab this chance at the earliest opportunity in order to reap the benefits emanating from the ongoing government efforts,’ said Kirimi.

Source: Kenya News Agency