Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has emphasised the critical role of patriotism in achieving Namibia's development agenda and crafting the ideal Namibia. 

Nandi-Ndaitwah shared her vision of shared prosperity but highlighted the significant challenge posed by poor public service delivery, which has a negative impact on the private sector.

She attributed this challenge to a lack of patriotism, noting that individualism often takes precedence over nationalism. 

"I want to see shared prosperity. From my assessment, the biggest challenge we are facing in this country is that our service delivery is poor, and who is responsible is people employed in the public and private sectors, but more in the public sector."

The Vice President expressed that a lack of patriotism has hindered the country's progress, preventing it from moving at the necessary speed to achieve its goals.

To address this issue, incorporating patriotism into the school curriculum and drawing inspiration from countries such as Cuba will do, she suggested. 

"It is because there is no patriotism in this country that people are thinking of themselves more than others. People are calling themselves we and them instead of talking about our country."

She believes that instilling a sense of patriotism from a young age will help cultivate a nationalistic spirit among the youth, ultimately leading to a more united and prosperous Namibia.

Other speakers at the YouthForge: Igniting Patriotism, Fueling Industry event at NUST, included Hendrina Kudhingililwa, the president of Tukwatha Youth Organisation, Minister of Higher Education Itah Kandjii-Murangi, and NUST Vice-Chancellor Herold Naomab.