NCCI pays tribute to educationalist and businessman, Martin Shipanga
The Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) paid tribute to educationalist and businessman, Martin Lazarus Shipanga, who recently passed away.
Shipanga played a leading role in the establishment and operations of a pre-Independence business sector representative body, the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCOCI).
Charity Mwiya, Chief Executive of the Chamber said Shipanga and other black business people founded the chamber because the established businesses and their various representative bodies would not accommodate membership of Namibians of colour.
“Resultantly, Shipanga and others in the NCOCI staunchly supported the establishment of a Chamber of Commerce and Industry that was truly representative of Namibia’s private sector and membership that was open to businesses and their owners, irrespective of the ethnicity, religious persuasion or gender of individuals,” added Mwiya.
She highlighted how his guidance and technical work helped create a professional business representative body with relevance to the then prevailing political and economic realities. He served in the highest leadership structures of the Chamber at various stages of its development.
“As we mourn the passing away of educationalist and pioneering Black businessman Martin Shipanga, let us not allow sorrow and grief to overshadow the importance of acknowledging, praising and giving thanks for the lead role he played in unifying Namibia’s private sector and for laying a foundation on which the NCCI has been build,” she concluded.
