Endjala takes reins at NCCI, focuses on food crisis

THE Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) over the weekend elected John Akapandi Endjala as its president, taking over from Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi, who was at the helm of the organisation for the past four years.

In his acceptance speech during a gala dinner held after the Chamber’s annual general meeting, Endjala said during his term of office NCCI would become proactive and seek to find ways to boost the private sector and the Namibian economy. Endjala, the head of the J&P Group, touched on a number of vital issues like the food crisis, rising oil prices, inflation, land reform and skills deficit.He identified the current soaring oil and food prices as a matter of urgency that needs to be addressed to help people, especially the poor, who are buckling under the pressure.Businesses were also suffering, said Endjala, and in turn impacting negatively on the economy.He said it was time for tripartite action where the Government, private sector and organised labour would come up with ‘possible interventions which can mitigate the consequences of these challenges’.He noted that the recent floods in the northern parts of the country would worsen the situation, and result in food shortages as crops were destroyed by the heavy rains.Land reform, said Endjala, should stir the much-desired agricultural growth, adding that those newly resettled should be assisted with capital and technical support.”I believe that as businesspeople, we must see the current food shortages and high food prices as an opportunity to expand agricultural and improve food security.”There is an urgent need for serious intervention by Government in terms of policy and private-sector investments in agriculture in order to make a meaningful impact on our capacity to expand agricultural production.”The NCCI AGM decided to work in partnership with relevant stakeholders to come up with a way to develop an effective response to the food crisis.Endjala said the major challenge the organisation faced was to improve service delivery, given its financial constraints.”It is expected from those of us who are entrusted with leadership responsibilities to constantly identify the challenges facing our members and devise strategies for resolving those challenges.”My team and I pledge to do our level best to serve members and actively engage them so that we can understand what they expect from us from time to time,” he said.Endjala, the head of the J&P Group, touched on a number of vital issues like the food crisis, rising oil prices, inflation, land reform and skills deficit.He identified the current soaring oil and food prices as a matter of urgency that needs to be addressed to help people, especially the poor, who are buckling under the pressure.Businesses were also suffering, said Endjala, and in turn impacting negatively on the economy.He said it was time for tripartite action where the Government, private sector and organised labour would come up with ‘possible interventions which can mitigate the consequences of these challenges’.He noted that the recent floods in the northern parts of the country would worsen the situation, and result in food shortages as crops were destroyed by the heavy rains.Land reform, said Endjala, should stir the much-desired agricultural growth, adding that those newly resettled should be assisted with capital and technical support.”I believe that as businesspeople, we must see the current food shortages and high food prices as an opportunity to expand agricultural and improve food security.”There is an urgent need for serious intervention by Government in terms of policy and private-sector investments in agriculture in order to make a meaningful impact on our capacity to expand agricultural production.” The NCCI AGM decided to work in partnership with relevant stakeholders to come up with a way to develop an effective response to the food crisis.Endjala said the major challenge the organisation faced was to improve service delivery, given its financial constraints.”It is expected from those of us who are entrusted with leadership responsibilities to constantly identify the challenges facing our members and devise strategies for resolving those challenges.”My team and I pledge to do our level best to serve members and actively engage them so that we can understand what they expect from us from time to time,” he said.