Trade Fair links to public

With only one day to go before the annual Ogwediva Trade Fair 2012 comes to an end on 01 September, visitors have flocked in numbers to the trade fair centre to visit the many different stands. Government ministries, through their participation as exhibitors, used the event to communicate critical information to the public.
Crispin Matongela, public relations officer of the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement said that issues currently being addressed at the ministry’s stand include educating the public about the disadvantages of illegal fencing and its impact on the community. “We also inform the public on the benefits of registering and explain to them who qualifies to apply to register for communal land rights,” Matongela informed the Economist.
Procedures to be followed in the removal of illegal fences and the result of having an unregistered piece of communal land also formed part of the information provided by the officials of the ministry to visitors. The officials also clarified issues surrounding the allocation of 20 hectares of land.
The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology was on hand to inform the public about the Nationhood and National Pride Campaign. The campaign, resulted from Cabinet retreat in 2006 followed by the presidential directives to Cabinet in 2007 that the government through the ministry develops the campaign as a vehicle to support and sustain Namibian citizenship and allegiance.
The campaign, with the theme “My Namibia, My Country , My Pride” was launched in April 2011 by President Pohamba with the aim of addressing amongst others, social ills such as vandalism of private property, crime, violence against women and children, tribalism, and poor sanitation. At a strategic plan review workshop of the campaign held in Otjiwarongo last month, the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Hon Joel Kaapanda stated that the country should use the campaign to ensure that people, particularly the youth are pre-occupied and engaged and become useful citizens and future leaders of the country.
Since the launch of the campaign, the Nationhood and National Pride Campaign Programme has already been rolled-out in Otjozondjupa, Oshana, Omaheke, Kavango, Caprivi and Hardap Regions, with various activities held at schools and constituency level.
Not to be upstaged, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, through its different directorates, have a sale on products from the Green Scheme projects such as rice, cassava and potatoes. Information on ear tagging and animal grazing is also supplied at the ministry’s stand. The Namibia Agronomic Board is also at the fair to provide material to farmers. According to the ministry’s liaison officer, Constance Mwilima, people have come in numbers to buy the products that are on special. “The products are sold at very affordable prices, especially for those buying in bulk,”said Mwilima