‘Standards Institute must become less dependent on govt grants’- Iipumbu
The Trade and Industrialisation Minister, Lucia Iipumbu said the Namibia Standards Institute (NSI) must find ways to sustain its operations by making it less dependent on government grants.
Iipumbu said this following the appointment of the new NSI council, adding that while the institute is not a profit-making entity, the current economic climate must be taken into consideration.
“It is therefore imperative that we all put on our thinking hats with the aim of thinking outside the box as to how best we can sustain the operations of NSI by making it less dependent on government grants. The council being inaugurated should develop strategies geared toward ensuring the sustainability of NSI,” Iipumbu said.
Iipumbu on Wednesday appointed new council members to the Namibian Standards Institute to serve until 2025.
The new council members are Paulus Kalenga and Matilda Kahimbi Jankie-Shakwa who will serve as chairperson and vice chairperson respectively; members Vincent Nowaseb, Thaddeus Eli-Megameno Shigwedha, Londt Lloyd, and Monica Nehemia.
The council will manage the affairs and the performance of the functions of the institute, including maintaining and safekeeping of proper records of accounts and financial statements of the institute.
It is also seized with the formulation of policies and procedures for the purpose of providing specific or general guidance to the institute.
“NSI is also tasked with the objective of leading the institutional and legal modernisation of the national quality infrastructure to ensure that the concerned bodies provide competent and essential support and services to industries, the government of Namibia and all other stakeholders in line with the international best practices and norms,” she said.
