President Hage Geingob yesterday departed for Cape Town to participate in the Africa Energy Week conference, an event organised by controversial Cameroonian lawyer NJ Ayuk.
The president is scheduled to deliver a keynote address and receive a lifetime achievement award at the event, which runs from today until Friday.
Geingob's association with Ayuk, or Njock Ayuk Eyong, has raised concern among local experts who warn that Namibia's emerging upstream petroleum sector is potentially being exposed to individuals with "corrupt influences".
"I think it is important that our leaders do not accept awards from people with questionable track records as appears to be the case here.
"We have to avoid the examples of Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and Angola at all costs," Institute for Public Policy Research director Graham Hopwood told The Namibian last month.
Geingob's office has been mum regarding his acceptance of the award - even after a follow-up query by The Namibian yesterday.
Ayuk, the executive chairman of the African Energy Chamber, was in the spotlight recently due to his controversial background.
His alleged conviction for fraud in 2007, which involved impersonating a United States (US) congressman, remains a topic of debate. Ayuk vehemently denies the existence of such a conviction, but court documents seen by The Namibian suggest otherwise.
"The chamber categorically denies that NJ Martin Ayuk, a European Union citizen, has ever been convicted of any crime," Gradie Mbono, African Energy Chamber's spokesperson, has said.
Meanwhile, at the African Energy Week, Geingob's opening address is expected to provide crucial insight into his administration's priorities and action plan for advancing energy security in Africa.
Geingob is leading a Namibian delegation to the event, comprising high-level stakeholders from the Ministry of Mines and Energy and national oil corporation Namcor.
An 'Invest in Namibia Energies' presentation will build on Geingob's opening remarks, elaborating on the investment opportunities in the Namibian energy market.
Ayuk in a statement sang Geingob's praises as well as that of Namibia's emerging energy sector.
He said under the president's guidance, the country's energy sector has become a beacon of opportunity, attracting major investments and driving innovation.
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"The country's focus on regulatory clarity, environmental responsibility, and green energy initiatives sets a precedent for the entire continent," Ayuk said.
He said the country's journey in the energy sector is testament to the transformative power of strategic leadership and collaboration.
OIL ADVICE
Ayuk in June encouraged the Namibian government to show it respects the billions of dollars companies spend on oil and gas production by taking steps to update its petroleum contracts.
"They need language that protects oil and gas companies' investments. Namibia's contracts should include what's known as a fiscal stability clause, which would clearly state that if Namibia were to make legislative or regulatory changes, such as new tax requirements, the energy companies signing the contract would be protected from negative economic impacts," he said. Ayuk said depending on the language of the clause, contracting companies may be exempt from new tax codes or may be compensated to make up for legislation that adds to their expenses, such as new labour or environmental laws.
"What matters in the end is that the companies' return on investment would not be impacted by changes that occurred after their deal was finalised," he said.
The mines and energy ministry was also in the spotlight last month for approaching Ayuk and the African Energy Chamber for legal advice and support in drafting and reviewing legal documents, contracts and agreements related to petroleum operations.
Acting executive director of mines and energy Bryan Eiseb said the ministry approached the chamber because of its experience in oil and gas matters.
