20200401_Media Statement on the COVID-19 Economic Stimulus Package


20200401_Media Statement on the COVID-19 Economic Stimulus Package



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REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA
Ministry of Finance
MEDIA STATEMENT
Launching of the Economic Stimulus and Relief Package to mitigate the
impact of COVID-19
Tipumbu Shiimit, MP
Minister of Finance
01 April 2020
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Introduction & Background
. The Government of the Republic of Namibia is acutely conscious of the
significant negative economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on
economy, businesses, households and the economy at large.
. The longer the outbreak and the health containment and suppression of the
spread, the deeper and longer the economic contraction and social hardships.
. During the lockdown and containment period of the outbreak of the COVID-19,
all-out efforts are made to ensure that core economic activities, formal and
informal, are supported and essential financial services continue uninterrupted.
. In response to these unprecedented economic hardships the Government, in
collaboration with all stakeholders; private, Development Partners and other
non-state actors, has adopted the First Phase of the Economic Stimulus and
Relief Package geared at addressing the negative effects arising from the first
21-day lockdown period.
. The total Stimulus and Relief Package amounts to N$8.1 billion, comprising of
N$5.9 billion in direct support to businesses, households and cash flow
acceleration payments for services rendered to Government and N$2.3 billion
off-balance sheet Government liabilities.
. The Package is directed at:-
e formal and informal businesses in sectors which are directly affected by
the lockdown measures, and
e households and the related labour market aspects such as job retention
to mitigate the negative impact on income and provide for the basic
amenities for households such as potable water to be able to cope with
the constrained and conditions arising from the lockdowns.
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Specific elements of the Economic Relief and Stimulus
Package
Relief Measures for the business sector.
7. To support the business cash flow and continued productive economic
activities, the following measures are proposed:-
(a) Wage subsidy for hardest hit sectors. To avoid further retrenchments
in the hardest-hit sectors, Government will provide a wage subsidy to aid
businesses in keeping employees on board in the tourism, travel and
aviation and construction sectors. Details will vary between sectors.
Government is setting N$400 million aside for this subsidy.
(b) Accelerated repayment of overdue and undisputed VAT refunds.
Government will immediately speed up such repayments to enhance the
cashflow of enterprises paying VAT. The total amount of the refunds to
settled within one week of the implementation of these measures stands
about N$3.0 billion.
(c) Accelerated payment of overdue and undisputed invoices for goods
and services provided to Government. Government will immediately
speed up such payments to boost the cash flow of enterprises that are
suppliers to the Government. This amount stands at about N$800.00
million.
(d) Non-agricultural Small business loan scheme. Government will
facilitate a N$500.0 million loan scheme for non-agricultural small
businesses and guaranteeing such loans to be provided by the
Development Bank of Namibia. The loans will be extended to cash flow-
constrained small businesses that have experienced a significant loss of
revenue.
(e) Agricultural business loan scheme. Government will further facilitate a
N$200.0 million loan scheme for framers and agricultural businesses and
guaranteeing such loans to be provided by the Agricultural Bank of
Namibia. The loans will be extended to cashflow-constrained farmers and
small to medium-sized businesses that have experienced a significant loss
of revenue.
(f) Granting of the policy relief to borrowers by DBN and AgriBank in the form
of a capital repayment moratorium where a holiday is allowed on the principal
amount for a period ranging between six (6) months, but not exceeding two
years (24 months) based on assessment, recapitalization of interest,
lengthening of the repayment periods and waiving of penalty provisions.
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(g) Tax-back loan scheme for non-mining corporates. To provide
breathing room for cashflow-constrained businesses in the non-mining
sectors who are taxpayers, such businesses can borrow an amount equal
to 1/12" of their tax payment in the previous tax year, to be repaid after
one year. The interest rate will be favourably low at the prime lending rate
less 1%, on the back of the Government guarantee, capped at N$470.00
million. Applications will be made via the banks.
(h) Relaxation of labour regulations to protect jobs. To avoid major
retrenchments and business closures, employers including Government
and business owners will be allowed to negotiate a temporary 20%
reduction of salaries and wages during the crisis period, and 40% for the
worst-hit industries. The negotiations will be undertaken through a
consultative process with employees and labour unions.
Support to households
3.2 To support the households cope with reduced income, increased health
related spending and other hardships due to the virus outbreak, the following
measures are proposed:-
(a) An Emergency Income Grant, to support those employees who have lost
their jobs due to the pandemic and its fallout. This is a once-off payment
of N$750 to people who have lost their jobs, either in the informal or in the
formal sector, essentially to stave off the vulnerabilities which arise.
Applications may be made by Namibians citizens between 18 and 60
years of age who have lost their jobs and not receiving any other social
grants. Payment will be made by Government in collaboration with the
Social Security Commission within 7 days utilising the banking sector's
ATM infrastructure. The total amount for this measure is costed at a
maximum of N$562.00 million, based on the national poverty line of about
N$250.00 per person per week.
(b) Tax-back loan scheme for tax registered and tax paying (PAYE)
employees and self-employed individual persons who have lost
income or part thereof. To provide breathing room for cashflow-
constrained individuals who are taxpayers, they can borrow an amount
equal to 1/12" of their tax payment in the previous tax year, to be repaid
after one year. The interest rate will be favourably low at the prime lending
rate less 1% on the back of a Government guarantee. The total guarantee
is capped at the maximum of N$1.1 billion, based on the PAYE tax register
and the potential loan size. The Government, in collaboration with the
banking institutions may institute statutory and administrative measures to
enhance compliance with loan obligations.
(c) Water subsidy during lockdowns. Government will ensure that water
points are kept open without a need for water cards during lockdowns,
through NamWater and Local Authorities that will subsidize this critical
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service. The purpose of the First lockdown, this amount is estimated at
about N$10.0 million.
8. These measures take into consideration monetary policy and banking sector
measures announced by the Bank of Namibia. They take effect immediately
and their implementation will be accelerated in coming days and weeks.
| wish to reassure the business community, large corporates and the micro,
small and medium-sized enterprises in all sectors of our economy that the
Government will continue to support economic activities as well as households
during the current challenging circumstances and in the recovery phase of our
economy. Equally, the Government calls on effective partnerships, solidarity
and dialogue with all stakeholders during this time of coordinated actions.
10.1 also wish to call on the domestic and external financiers, Development
Partners and all stakeholder institutions with the financial wherewithal to work
in partnership and to avoid duplication and silos for an integrated approach and
optimum impact.
11.With this package of measures now being rolled out, | call on the business
community and employers to avoid laying off workers at this point in time. This
is an exceptional, crisis-related and temporary period for which stern efforts are
required from all employers and the Government.
12. | am confident that through effective partnerships and coordinated planning,
we should be able to do what must be done to mitigate the economic and social
impact on the COVID-19.
13. Through unity of purpose and action, Namibians, with the support of our multi-
stakeholder development partners have demonstrated resilience through which
we have surmounted challenging circumstances which came our way.
14. It is with the same zeal that we must, as a united front, rally together to
overcome the challenges posed by this outbreak, which is temporary in nature.
Thank you
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Annex I: Size and composition of the Economic Stimulus and Relief Package |
Health intervention
Health package
Household intervention
Emergency Income Grant
Tax Back loan scheme - personal
Water subsidy
Business intervention
Hospitality Wage Subsidy
(Gmonths at 700 per employee)*
Construction Wage Subsidy (500
per employee per lockdown)
VAT Refunds
Payment Outstanding Invoices
Small Business Loan Scheme -
DBN
Agricultural Loan Guarantee
Scheme - AgriBank
Tax Back loan scheme - non
mining
Cash Flow
Cost
Contingent
Liability
1,100,000,000 | 1,100,000,000
562,000,000
-
10,000,000
562,000,000
-
10,000,000
-
1,100,000,000
398,600,000
22,680,000
398,600,000
22,680,000
3,000,000,000
-
800,000,000
-
_
_
_
_
_
-
-
500,000,000
200,000,000
470,000,000
5,853,280,000 2,053,280,000
2,270,000,000
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