By Lylie Happiness,
Oshakati, 29 Oct – The Minster of Environment and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, officially handed over a 150 kilowatts solar plant to the Sheya Shuushona Conservancy, in the Omusati region, on Thursday.
“It is worth noting that the increased use of renewable energy such as the solar plant being handed over today, will not only cushion us from the adverse effects of climate change, but also act as a catalyst for enhancing social economic development in this rural area,” Shifeta said.
He said the project will greatly empower the conservancy in their contribution to the tourism business and enhance energy efficiency targets and said, the project had already benefitted 3 551 people, created 17 jobs and got 10 youths trained on solar plant operations, maintenance and administration.
He added that the intervention will serve to provide the much-needed income to the conservancy and urged the Sheya Shuushona Conservancy Management Committee to ensure sound financial accountability to enhance the benefits to the conservancy.
Shifeta said the project was implemented under the Community-based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) Enhanced Direct Access (EDA) grants facility.
He said that the EDA funding was secured by the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF), adding that it is one of the first grants that the Green Climate Fund (GCF) awarded under the EDA modality globally.
