Appointment of 12 Board Members to the Diamond Board of Namibia

The Minister of Mines and Energy, Hon. Tom Alweendo, made a significant announcement on Tuesday this week, revealing the appointment of 12 esteemed individualstotheDiamondBoardofNamibia.TheDiamondBoard,responsiblefor advisingtheMinisteronmatterspertainingtothediamondindustry,playsapivotal roleinshapingthenation'seconomiclandscape.

Municipal Account Payment Scam Alert

Walvis Bay Municipality Warns Residents of Fraudulent Activities

The Municipality of Walvis Bay has issued a crucial warning to its residents regarding a prevalent scam targeting unsuspecting individuals. Recent reports have exposed an individual, operating under the name Mr De Waal, falsely claiming to be a senior official from the municipality. The scammer alleges that customers' water supply is at risk of beingcutoffduetooverdueaccounts.Itisimportanttonote that this scammer may also operate under an alternative identity.

ResidentsofWalvis Bay are urged to exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant to avoid fallingvictimtothis deceitfulploy

The municipality emphasisesthatthis scam is specifically designed to trick individualsintosurrendering their hard-earned money, personal details, or sensitivedata.

To protect yourself from falling prey to thisscam,theMunicipality of Walvis Bay advises residents to adhere to the followingguidelines: The municipality does not initiate phone calls deman- dingimmediatepayments from residents. Be wary of any unsolicited calls requesting account settlement.

Exercise caution whenapproachedby individualsposingas municipality representatives.

Refrainfrommaking anyformofpayment

Chaired by Erasmus Shivolo, the newly appointed Diamond Board comprises a diverse group of professionals who bring their expertise and knowledge to the table. Among them is Maenge Shipiki Kali, who assumes the position of Deputy Chairperson, alongside Festus Nghifenwa, PaulineThomas,BarthlomeusDeKlerk,Brent Eiseb, Emily Kapulwa, Desley Somseb, BenitaHerma,WollenZuleikaNell,IsabellaChirchir,andNekuliloIthete.

Inastatement,Hon.Alweendounderscored to suspicious individuals without verifying their authenticity

Never disclose personal information, such as identification numbers or bank account details, to strangers or unfamiliarparties.

Intheeventofreceiving a call from suspicious individuals making such claims, promptly report the matter to the nearest police station for further investigation.

Itisofutmostimportanceforresidentsof the vital role of the diamond industry in Namibia's economy The Minister highlighted that the diamond sector contributes significantly to the nation's overall exports from the mining industry, accountingformorethan50%ofthetotal. Furthermore, in the year 2022, the diamondindustryaccountedforastaggering 55%ofthetaxesgeneratedbythemining sector. These statistics emphasise the industry'simmensevalueandtheneedfor carefulmanagement

Walvis Bay to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious activity related to this scam By working together as a community, we can effectively combat such fraudulent acts and protect our fellow citizens from falling victim to these scams. Forfurtherinquiries or to report any incidents, residents are encouraged to contact the Walvis Bay Municipality directly through their official channels.