Geingob calls for more entrepreneurs

Trade and Industry Minister Hage Geingob says entrepreneurship is a powerful tool in the development of any economy.

Officially launching the two-day National Youth Expo 2008 under the theme “Embracing the Challenge of Entrepreneurial Innovation” on Friday, Geingob said this important theme is relevant for the Namibian youth and nation as they are faced with so many challenges in the quest for economic liberalisation from colonially engineered bondage. “I trust that together with the support of all stakeholders, the main objective of this youth expo, namely inspiring the Namibian entrepreneurs to find innovative ways and means to overcome known obstacles and hindrances and becoming successful entrepreneurs, will be realised,” he said.The expo is a welcome instrument in the quest to assist the youth to become entrepreneurs, able to identify and exploit market niches for the economic benefit of themselves and the society in which they live, he said, adding that Namibia severely lacks skilled manpower.”As policy makers, we are aware that the Namibian market is too small to try and sell everything we are producing exclusively inside Namibia.We need access to foreign markets, and in return foreigners need access to the Namibian market,” he said.This is where entrepreneurship is most essential in Namibia, for Namibians to identify business opportunities in the national, regional and international market and to provide in these needs in an innovative and enterprising manner.Many economic opportunities also abound in neighbouring countries such as Angola, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe and far afield in China, USA, Europe and other countries.”We need to break this tradition of Namibians who are only interested in doing business at home by starting with the youth of today, so that we can have courageous, brave and visionary business leadership which can take this country to the pinnacle of economic development,” he noted.”We in Namibia need to fundamentally change our mind-set on doing business.Protection can only work to a certain extent, particularly in the infant stages of a business or an industry, but cannot be a permanent feature of a growing, healthy and robust economy”, he added.He said government has also gone a step further and is collaborating with various municipalities to avail industrial land, where interested foreign investors can be located to spur economic growth in the regions.Nampa”I trust that together with the support of all stakeholders, the main objective of this youth expo, namely inspiring the Namibian entrepreneurs to find innovative ways and means to overcome known obstacles and hindrances and becoming successful entrepreneurs, will be realised,” he said.The expo is a welcome instrument in the quest to assist the youth to become entrepreneurs, able to identify and exploit market niches for the economic benefit of themselves and the society in which they live, he said, adding that Namibia severely lacks skilled manpower.”As policy makers, we are aware that the Namibian market is too small to try and sell everything we are producing exclusively inside Namibia.We need access to foreign markets, and in return foreigners need access to the Namibian market,” he said.This is where entrepreneurship is most essential in Namibia, for Namibians to identify business opportunities in the national, regional and international market and to provide in these needs in an innovative and enterprising manner.Many economic opportunities also abound in neighbouring countries such as Angola, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe and far afield in China, USA, Europe and other countries.”We need to break this tradition of Namibians who are only interested in doing business at home by starting with the youth of today, so that we can have courageous, brave and visionary business leadership which can take this country to the pinnacle of economic development,” he noted.”We in Namibia need to fundamentally change our mind-set on doing business.Protection can only work to a certain extent, particularly in the infant stages of a business or an industry, but cannot be a permanent feature of a growing, healthy and robust economy”, he added.He said government has also gone a step further and is collaborating with various municipalities to avail industrial land, where interested foreign investors can be located to spur economic growth in the regions.Nampa