What is the true purpose of Cran?

CLERENCE DAUSAB FROM OKOMBAHE WRITES:

I am writing to express my profound dismay and frustration regarding the exorbitant fees and taxes levied on individuals attempting to import goods into Namibia, specifically mobile phones.

My recent experience has highlighted a system that appears designed to impoverish its citizens rather than protect them or foster economic activity.

I am being charged N$550 by the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) for a license to import a single mobile phone. This is in addition to N$360 demanded by the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) for tax, and a further N$80 for Nampost services. The total cost of these charges alone amounts to N$990. When considering the phone's initial cost of N$1,500 and the N$260 paid for transport to Namibia, the total expenditure reaches N$2,750.

The question I pose to the Swapo government is this: What is the true purpose of these institutions? Are they genuinely established to protect Namibian consumers and regulate trade, or are they merely mechanisms to extract excessive revenue from an already struggling populace?

It is unfathomable that such high fees are imposed on individuals, particularly the unemployed, who are attempting to generate a meager income through legitimate means. The profit margin on a phone costing N$1,500, after incurring N$990 in government-imposed charges, becomes negligible, if not a loss.

This situation begs the question of whether these institutions are paying their employees "above average prices" at the expense of the very citizens they are supposed to serve.

While many Namibians, including myself, face unemployment and economic hardship, these agencies appear to operate with impunity, imposing burdens that stifle individual initiative and exacerbate poverty.

I urge the Swapo government to provide a clear and transparent explanation for these charges. They must justify why such significant sums are demanded for what should be a straightforward process, and how these policies align with their stated commitment to improving the lives of all Namibians.



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