Naloba: Remove NIPDB from presidency
The Namibia Local Business Association (Naloba) wants the Namibia Investment and Promotion Development Board (NIPDB) removed from the Office of the President, and moved to the trade ministry.
The group also wants the ministry at the forefront of negotiating trade deals with investors.
These recommendations are contained in a post-pandemic report into the state of businesses in Namibia, prepared by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economics.
“Naloba recommends that NIPDB fall directly under the ministry of industrialisation, and not under the presidency,” the report read.
Policy matters
Commenting on current policy matters, Naloba motivated that a trade agreement be finalised with Angola, while imploring government to ensure a certain percentage of profits remain in Namibia.
“All foreign investment companies in the manufacturing and production industries should be allowed to only export a certain percentage of their products and a certain percentage of their profit,” the report read.
“All business deals and investment from foreign investors should be negotiated by the ministry of industrialisation in conjunction with other involved ministries, NIPDB and stakeholders such as Naloba.”
The group also took issue with Chinese retailers, saying they were not contributing meaningfully to state coffers.
“A mechanism should be put in place to compel Chinese retailers to start paying taxes. It should be done in conjunction with the Namibia Revenue Agency and other stakeholders such as Naloba,” it said.
Meanwhile, the association called on government to put a concession management agreement pertaining to the lease of a Namport container terminal on hold.
“A technical committee should be established to assess the economic benefits of the concession management contract versus Namport’s own operations,” it said.
The group also wants the ministry at the forefront of negotiating trade deals with investors.
These recommendations are contained in a post-pandemic report into the state of businesses in Namibia, prepared by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economics.
“Naloba recommends that NIPDB fall directly under the ministry of industrialisation, and not under the presidency,” the report read.
Policy matters
Commenting on current policy matters, Naloba motivated that a trade agreement be finalised with Angola, while imploring government to ensure a certain percentage of profits remain in Namibia.
“All foreign investment companies in the manufacturing and production industries should be allowed to only export a certain percentage of their products and a certain percentage of their profit,” the report read.
“All business deals and investment from foreign investors should be negotiated by the ministry of industrialisation in conjunction with other involved ministries, NIPDB and stakeholders such as Naloba.”
The group also took issue with Chinese retailers, saying they were not contributing meaningfully to state coffers.
“A mechanism should be put in place to compel Chinese retailers to start paying taxes. It should be done in conjunction with the Namibia Revenue Agency and other stakeholders such as Naloba,” it said.
Meanwhile, the association called on government to put a concession management agreement pertaining to the lease of a Namport container terminal on hold.
“A technical committee should be established to assess the economic benefits of the concession management contract versus Namport’s own operations,” it said.
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Namibian Sun
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