THE Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade has rejected 500 business clearance applications to be allowed to continue operating during the Covid-19 state of emergency.

This was because applicants failed to meet set trading criteria during the state of emergency.

This was announced on Saturday by the ministry's executive director, Ndiita Nghipondoka-Robiati, during a daily briefing on the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ministry has established an online platform where businesses can apply for clearance certificates, allowing them to sell goods and provide services during the lockdown.

Nghipondoka-Robiati said some applicants have been rejected because of their number of employees.

"It should only be skeleton staff working," she said.

"The businesses have to tell us how they are responding to this virus. So when we reject, they could either come back and say I now have fewer people working or, if we feel they are not supporting the initiatives against Covid-19, we just reject them right away," she said.

The online business application portal falls short, she admitted.

"But we are working on this around the clock. This portal [came from] a good Samaritan we approached and decided to do this for free. We've had a lot of private sector entities come to us, offering their services, because ultimately, we are in this together," Nghipondoka-Robiati said.

So far, 1 100 crucial businesses have been approved, while another 1 300 applications are pending, she said.

"These business operators are listed. It comes all the way from agriculture, fishing, electricity, gas, steam, air conditioning, water supply purification to construction as it relates to the fight against Covid-19," she said.

President Hage Geingob announced a 21-day lockdown for the Khomas and Erongo regions on 24 March, restricting movement to only allow essential services to operate during this time.

The lockdown has since been extended to the remaining 12 regions.

- Nampa