APPOINTING AUTHORITY: Tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta. Photo: CONTRIBUTED
APPOINTING AUTHORITY: Tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta. Photo: CONTRIBUTED

Shifeta appoints new board for Game Products Trust Fund

Appointments valid until 2027
The fund ensures that revenue realised from the sale of wildlife products is used for wildlife conservation.
Ellanie Smit
A new board has been appointed for the Game Products Trust Fund, which ensures revenue is realised from the sale of wildlife products to benefit wildlife conservation.



The tenure of the former board, which served for three years, ended in September.



Environment, forestry and tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta, speaking at the inauguration of the new board, said after consulting the Cabinet, a new board was appointed to serve from 1 November 2024 to 30 October 2027.



Shifeta said the Game Products Trust Fund was established by the Game Products Trust Fund Act.



It is aimed to support the conservation and management of wildlife resources, as well as rural development in Namibia. The act provides for the management and control of the fund by the board, as well as incidental matters.



“[The fund] ensures that revenue realised from the sale of wildlife products is used for wildlife conservation, communal conservation and rural development. This is aimed at harmonising the coexistence of humans and wildlife, thus securing a future for wildlife outside of and within protected areas in Namibia,” he said.



The fund is mandated to capture revenue from the sale of trophy hunting concessions, the removal of problem causing animals, levies on the live export of animals, live auction of game from protected areas, conservation fees from entry to protected areas, and grants or donations, Shifeta added.



The funds raised are reinvested in projects aimed at promoting conservation, wildlife management and rural community development within or adjacent to areas affected by the presence of wildlife in Namibia.



Shifeta noted that the Game Products Trust Fund is managed under both the Game Products Trust Fund Act and the Public Enterprises Governance Act.



Specific objectives of the Game Products Trust Fund are to make grants to protected areas and conservancies a means of implementing and maintaining programmes and projects related to wildlife and rural development.



It also allocates funds to protected areas and conservancies, and any other institution involved with wildlife conservation, management and rural development.



Furthermore, the fund supports measures aimed at improving human wildlife relations and the monitoring, management, protection, sustainable-use and development of wildlife resources in rural areas.



Colgar Sikopo has been appointed as the chairperson of the board. He is the deputy director responsible for the Department of Natural Resources Management in the environment ministry. Other members of the board are Mclesia Mbaisa, the deputy director of the agriculture ministry, Doreen Saisai, representing the Namibia National Communal Conservancy and Community Forest Alliance, Kandiwapa Amwele, the deputy director of the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises, and Thomas Muronga, who represents the Namibia National Communal Conservancy and Community Forest Alliance.

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Namibian Sun 2024-12-22

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