Former president Hifikepunye Pohamba has encouraged prime minister Elijah Ngurare to tackle pressing social issues such as youth unemployment and to promote unity across all leaderships.

He encouraged him at his homestead at Okanghudi village in the Ohangwena region, where Ngurare visited him on Sunday.

He congratulated him on his appointment as prime minister, saying "let me shake your hand for the first time as prime minister".

Pohamba stressed the need to prioritise access to education, healthcare and electricity for all Namibians as well as prioritising rural development.

He urged the revival of agricultural initiatives to ensure Namibia can feed its people, aligning with president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's saying "we are too few to be poor".

He also called for better utilisation of the country's natural resources for national development.

Ngurare gifted the former president two carved chairs with the national coat of arms for his birthday.

Pohamba's birthday was on 18 August.