Staff Reporter
PRESIDENT Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has inaugurated the Helao Nafidi Sports Centre in the Ohangwena Region, describing the facility as an investment in young people, community development and the local economy.
Speaking at the inauguration, Nandi-Ndaitwah said the centre was more than a sporting facility, providing young people with opportunities to develop their abilities, attract the attention of coaches and scouts, and pursue careers in sport.
She reiterated her call for stakeholders to take ownership of the growth and development of Helao Nafidi, saying the completion of the centre demonstrated that the call was being translated into visible progress.
Photos: Namibian Presidency
She said the development contributed to the objectives of the Sixth National Development Plan, particularly in youth empowerment, social development, job creation and balanced regional growth.
Nandi-Ndaitwah commended the Helao Nafidi Town Council, regional leadership, sports stakeholders and the community for contributing to the realisation of the project.
She highlighted the economic potential of sport, adding that the global sports economy generates approximately US$2.3 trillion annually.
“Sport is not only about entertainment and competition, but is also a major economic sector capable of creating careers, supporting families, attracting investment and stimulating other areas of economic activity,” she said.
The President said professional sport had already transformed the lives of many Namibian athletes, with footballers, boxers, cyclists, track-and-field athletes and other sports professionals competing and training abroad while building careers, supporting their families and representing Namibia internationally.
She stressed that sporting talent could emerge anywhere, including schools, villages and informal community competitions.
According to Nandi-Ndaitwah, facilities such as the Helao Nafidi Sports Centre are essential for nurturing this talent by providing young people with opportunities to train, develop their abilities and receive professional support.
She said the Eighth Administration remained committed to developing basic sports facilities across all 121 constituencies.
The Helao Nafidi facility, she added, ends the Ohangwena Region’s long wait for sporting infrastructure of this scale, particularly given the region’s existing participation and talent in football, netball and other sporting codes.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia could not expect world-class sporting performances while providing inadequate training conditions.
“Champions require deliberate investment in facilities, coaching, sports science, nutrition, regular competition, administration and athlete welfare,” she said.
She called for shared responsibility among government, local authorities, schools, sports federations and the private sector.
Government, she said, must provide leadership and an enabling environment, while local authorities should maintain facilities, schools should promote meaningful physical education, sports federations should develop talent fairly, and businesses should recognise sport as an area for investment and sponsorship.
The President urged the Helao Nafidi Town Council and its partners to establish a sustainable management plan for the centre and ensure that it becomes a place where talent is discovered, discipline is developed, communities are united and economic opportunities are created.
Addressing young people, Nandi-Ndaitwah encouraged them to use the facility responsibly, train with discipline, respect it, learn from their coaches and support one another.
She said their sporting journeys could take them far beyond the fields and courts of Helao Nafidi.
