EDITORIAL: A nation on the brink
The latest unemployment figures released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) have confirmed what every struggling Namibian already knew – joblessness in our country is a crisis spiralling out of control.
The real shock is not just the staggering 37% unemployment rate but the claim by analysts that the true figure could be as high as 54.8%.
If these calculations are accurate and the NSA manipulated methodologies to downplay the crisis, we are treading dangerous waters. When public institutions prioritise political survival over the truth, the very foundation of governance crumbles.
It is no coincidence that these grim statistics were conveniently kept under wraps until after the November elections. Had they been released earlier, voter sentiment would have likely reflected the simmering frustration among the unemployed masses. A well-timed political manoeuvre, but at what cost?
Yet, beyond disputes over numbers, the undeniable reality is that we are facing a crisis of historic proportions – one that cannot be resolved through semantics or statistical gymnastics.
In March 2023, late President Hage Geingob issued a chilling warning: if left unchecked, youth unemployment could lead to desperate young people turning to ‘terrorism’ for survival. He hesitated to declare a state of emergency, admitting that crisis management is no small task. But that is precisely what the situation demands – a response as urgent and forceful as the problem itself.
Namibia cannot afford to let this crisis fester any longer. Bold action is needed now, not tomorrow. Failure to act decisively will not only deepen poverty but may also push our nation to the brink of social unrest. The time for excuses is over – now is the time to act.
The real shock is not just the staggering 37% unemployment rate but the claim by analysts that the true figure could be as high as 54.8%.
If these calculations are accurate and the NSA manipulated methodologies to downplay the crisis, we are treading dangerous waters. When public institutions prioritise political survival over the truth, the very foundation of governance crumbles.
It is no coincidence that these grim statistics were conveniently kept under wraps until after the November elections. Had they been released earlier, voter sentiment would have likely reflected the simmering frustration among the unemployed masses. A well-timed political manoeuvre, but at what cost?
Yet, beyond disputes over numbers, the undeniable reality is that we are facing a crisis of historic proportions – one that cannot be resolved through semantics or statistical gymnastics.
In March 2023, late President Hage Geingob issued a chilling warning: if left unchecked, youth unemployment could lead to desperate young people turning to ‘terrorism’ for survival. He hesitated to declare a state of emergency, admitting that crisis management is no small task. But that is precisely what the situation demands – a response as urgent and forceful as the problem itself.
Namibia cannot afford to let this crisis fester any longer. Bold action is needed now, not tomorrow. Failure to act decisively will not only deepen poverty but may also push our nation to the brink of social unrest. The time for excuses is over – now is the time to act.
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Namibian Sun
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