Staff Reporter
THE success of the Ohangwena Region’s newly unveiled Investment Map and Action Plan will be measured not by the number of strategies produced, but by the number of businesses established, the investment mobilised, the jobs created, and the extent to which our people participate in and own economic growth, said Governor Kadiva Hamutumwa.
Speaking at a business engagement breakfast in Eenhana on Tuesday, Hamutumwa called on banks, investors and entrepreneurs to treat the event as the start of a long-term partnership to unlock the region’s economic potential.
The Regional Investment Map and Action Plan is designed to position Ohangwena as a competitive investment destination, with local entrepreneurs, youth and women placed at the centre of new opportunities. The goal, she said, is growth that translates into sustainable employment and shared prosperity.
Hamutumwa said the strategy is anchored on three principles: local content, local participation and local ownership.
“Our vision is clear. We want Ohangwena to become a region that attracts quality investment while ensuring that the benefits of economic growth are retained within our communities,” she said.
She urged local entrepreneurs to start businesses, add value to natural and agricultural resources, and form strategic partnerships with investors.
“Investment should not simply come into Ohangwena — it should grow from Ohangwena, with our people playing a leading role in creating wealth and employment,” the Governor added.
A key feature of the plan is an “Expression of Interest” process backed by a portfolio of pre-developed investment concepts in priority sectors identified in the Map.
“Rather than asking businesses to start from scratch, we are providing a pipeline of opportunities that have already been identified and conceptually developed,” Hamutumwa said.
Investors and entrepreneurs can review the concepts, select those that match their expertise, and work together to develop them into bankable business plans. Entrepreneurs with their own innovative ideas are also encouraged to submit proposals aligned with the regional priorities.
Projects emerging from the process will be presented to commercial banks, development finance institutions, private investors and government agencies. They will also inform future investment promotion missions and investor matchmaking initiatives.
The Governor’s Office, she said, will continue to convene partners, coordinate stakeholders, and advocate for investment to ensure local businesses benefit.
“Together, we can build an investment-driven regional economy founded on entrepreneurship, innovation, local ownership and sustainable economic growth,” Hamutumwa said.
The business engagement breakfast, which was held at the Monte Carlo Guesthouse, brought together members of the business community from across the region; private investors and aspiring entrepreneurs; development partners and regional stakeholders, as well as representatives from banking and financial institutions.
Photo: MICT Ohangwena Regional Office
