By Josef Kefas Sheehama
We must comprehend that economic hardship increases the number of suicides and crimes. When drivers are involved, other substances besides alcohol might be hazardous on the road. Among other things, depression and financial stress might make it difficult for you to operate a vehicle safely. Getting behind the wheel might result in major vehicle accidents if your head is foggy and you have no control over your body.
Due to the current dismal economy, Namibia is seriously dealing with high rates of suicides, traffic accidents, and crimes. It is significant to note that economic hardship increases domestic violence and increases the use of depressants like alcohol and drugs, which in turn increases overall violence. People who have untreated depression may develop several physical health issues, some of which may be fatal. A person with depression may also think about suicide in extreme instances. They might also turn to drug abuse as a form of self-medication, which is fatal. You may believe that seeking treatment for your depression is not worthwhile. But because depression can have serious psychological and physical consequences, the faster you start treatment, the sooner you’ll be able to manage your symptoms. As an economist, I don’t believe in political election manifestos. These political parties’ manifestos are baseless. People perceive these parties as ways of having representation for their views and beliefs. This idea is true, to a certain extent. However, over time we see that these political parties have become entities of their own. When looking at the local authorities and the country, we have seen that one of the main priorities of both parties has become to keep and gain political control over one another. It seems that even in some instances, politicians on both sides make campaign promises and then abandon them once elected to office.
Additionally, it appears to me that a lot of politicians portray themselves positively during campaigns but then seem to let down the voters who elected them. Don’t get me wrong, I support the right of everyone to voice their ideas whenever they choose. But given the way that our society is currently set up and growing more and more entangled with politics. Namibians hold a variety of perspectives on economic and social issues that don’t always cleanly fit onto a left-right spectrum, despite the substantial association between an individual’s ideology and their party preference. I, therefore, implore political parties to put up a political spectrum that maps out individual beliefs along several axes. We, therefore, dare not pause for a second. Together, we will hold every political party accountable for keeping all of their campaign pledges.
The effects of economic
Namibia’s economic growth issues right now are fairly diverse. They include concerns about the government, social issues, and issues resulting from individual behavior. The issue of unemployment is one of Namibia’s macroeconomic issues. Economic activity will inevitably be impacted by economically and socially depressed economies with high levels of poverty, unemployment, and underemployment. People are compelled to engage in various social strategies when they are not completely employed. The fruits of economic prosperity must reach every citizen in Namibia’s most distant areas if this disparity is to be eliminated. Income inequality and widespread poverty in Namibia is as a result of high unemployment. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the impact between social tension and economic growth and to determine the direction of the causality. To be more specific, having insights into citizens’ mindsets can help policymakers formulate policies and introduce measures that correspond to citizens’ expectations and needs. It’s already well known that suicide rates increase in times of economic strife and uncertainty. The more negatively people view their prospects, the higher the likelihood of suicide.
Young people are vulnerable. We are losing young and productive Namibians. The worry is that when young people feel rejected, economically excluded, or politically disenfranchised they may turn to extremism. Greater collaboration between government, companies, educators, and others are seen as essential. Yet given the sheer scale of youth unemployment, there is a growing recognition of the urgent need to intensify efforts to help young people become productive members of the workforce. Furthermore, the case of more than 600 fishermen who allegedly resigned from the Caveman Joint Venture at Walvis requires urgent government intervention and find a win-win solution. Leaders must act as soon as possible. The case of about 300 B2Gold workers on suspension requires greater collaboration between the government and B2Gold management. The time to act is now. Against this backdrop, however, there is reason to be hopeful. I truly believe that if we act quickly, we can turn these challenges into opportunities.
Going forward
We may never eliminate social problems within our lifetime, but we can set the stage for people to find a different way than in previous generations. Through education, treatment, and consistency, people will be given more opportunities. That will help them be able to get the job they need to provide themselves with legitimate resources. If not, then our future might just be a world where people feel like they need to resort to social problems. It is important to understand that, when citizens are freed from the worries of earning a livelihood to sustain their lives, they divert their attention to more useful things. They focus on education, improvise healthcare, develop technologies that make life easy, and much more. Poor economic condition is the root cause of so many problems that exist in a society. Namibia can reduce these social problems if the leaders are relevant to the people. There are reasons why people voted for you to help them with bread and butter. A large chunk of the population lives below the poverty line. They live in miserable conditions. Lack of proper food, clothing, and shelter, poor sanitation, and unsafe and sometimes dirty drinking water are just some of their many problems. Poverty itself gives rise to various other social problems. It deprives children of poor people to access education and healthcare.
To that end, the motivation to commit social tension is not solely drawn from the expected economic benefits, but from social disgruntlement and dissatisfaction. Therefore, I hope we can catalyze action on concrete solutions to ensure inclusive, resilient, and sustainable economic development that is equitably shared by the people of Namibia.
