NAMIBIA HAS A SEVERE SKILLS DEFICIT

Two labour experts this week painted a startling picture about the state of Namibia’s labour market, saying that most Namibians are unemployable.

The Global Competitiveness Index Report of 2009, said nearly 25 000 youth leave high school every year, but only 8 000 of those would gain formal employment, while a few others would go for further studies.

There are no jobs anymore to give to high school leavers, let alone those graduating from higher education training with qualifications that are not competitive. “Namibia has a severe skills deficit to the point of anorexia, we do not have the skills to sustain let alone grow,”

Both experts said the problem lies with the basic education sector. The total number of employed people in Namibia declined from 401 203 in 1997 to 385 329 in 2004 and further to 331 444 in 2008, according to the Government labour force survey in the subsequent years.

Add the annual figure of high school leavers, this becomes a worrying pattern. They called for political will, as well as for the labour movement to re-evaluate its role.

Article at http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=12344

Please spend time on your knees for this serious problem. Pray that God will intervene. Cry out for wisdom and that the newly appointed Minister of Education Minister for Education Abraham Iyambo (left in the photo) will tackle this serious problem. May God grant him and his team all they need to bring Namibia on the road to prosperity.

CENTURY OF COOPERATION

President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, King Mswati III of the Kingdom of Swaziland, Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama the president of Botswana, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Mr. Phakalitha Mosisili along with the President of Namibia gathered in the Namibian capital, Windhoek, to celebrate the first 100 years of cooperation of the Southern African Customs Union.The main purpose of the meeting was to provide strategic and political direction of the customs union.

• Intercede for the heads of state by name. (See 1 Kings 4:29)
  
• Please pray for the economic integration of all member countries of the Southern African Development Community to benefit the region in the future.
• Trust God for sustainable economic growth and development in the region and for employment creation and poverty reduction. (Deuteronomy 15:11)
  
• Pray for Namibia to have a Biblical impact among the peoples of Southern Africa as we become an ever closer community . (The SADC customs union’s new headquarters will be built in Windhoek.)

Source and photo: http://www.republikein.com.na

2010 A "PROMISING YEAR"

Bank of Namibia (BoN) Governor Tom Alweendo believes 2010 will be a “promising year” in which the economy of Namibia is projected to grow by “at least 4,2 per cent”. The central bank chief said there were “strong signs” of recovery everywhere and that it looks as if the global recession will not be a prolonged one.

Estimations are that the Namibian economy shrunk by one per cent last year, he said. “2010 should be a good year for all of us,” the Governor said though. The BoN’s growth projections for this year see the Namibian economy outperforming the world economy. The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) has forecasted world economic growth of 4,0 per cent for 2010. Alweedo expects a recovery in tourism, construction, diamond mining and strong growth in the uranium mining sector.

News and photo from http://www.namibian.com.na

• Pray that goverment and business will work together to ensure the recovery of our economy.
• Trust God that the church will equip their members to daily go to work with a Kingdom mindset.
• Interceed for the poor and jobless in our nation. Pray that they will also benefit from any recovery in the economy. Pray that bussiness, the government and the church will be a blessing to the needy in 2010.