Northern businesses dump NCCI for Naloba

VICE president of the Namibia Local Business Association (Naloba) Peter Amadhila says business people in the country want fair competition between local and foreign-owned businesses.

He was speaking at the launch of Naloba at Ongwediva on Friday.

Amadhila said the new organisation, a breakaway from the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI), has about 2 000 members.

Amadhila said the new association belongs to native business people. It is not affiliated to any political party or tribe and is a non-profit organisation.

“We want to make sure foreign business people are not coming here to sell sweets. They must do things that we can’t do,” Amadhila said.

He said Naloba is not established to fight foreign investors. However, they want foreign investors to venture into manufacturing to create jobs.

Naloba strives to advise the government on economic and trade policy and also to localise, protect and promote the Namibian economy.

He said business people lead the new association.

“We are not going to be led by CEOs (chief executive officers) of corporates or parastatals. We are not going to be led by employees. How is a bank employee going to see the interest of a kapana seller?” he asked.

He said all business people who would like to join Naloba are welcome to do so.

The association chose entrepreneur Erastus ‘Chicco’ Shapumba, as its president, while lawyer Maria Amupolo is the legal adviser. Sacky Namuhuja is the secretary general and Marius Nangolo is the organisation’s spokesperson.

Shapumba called on members to work together and cautioned them against abusing the name of the organisation.

He warned that whoever dirties and misuses the name of the association will be dealt with.

NCCI president Bisey /Uirab said the business people who claimed to have resigned from NCCI were not members of the organisation.

“We are in a free country and anybody is free to join any organisation,” he said.