By Elezo Libanda
Katima Mulilo, 3 August – Hon. Lawrence Alufea Sampofu, the Governor of Zambezi Region, fulfilled his constitutional mandate by delivering the state of the region address, as mandated by Article 110B, Sub+Article (5)(6) of the constitution of the Republic of Namibia. The purpose of this address was to inform all public, private, and state-owned bodies about the importance of transparency and accountability in governance.
During the address, the Governor highlighted various projects undertaken by the Regional Council and other Ministries, offices, and agencies. He emphasized that the fruits of development can only be fully enjoyed if service providers are accountable and transparent in their dealings. The Governor expressed his gratitude to all organizations, including OMAs, for diligently utilizing government and private resources to improve the well-being of communities.
However, some residents expressed disappointment with this year’s State of the Region Address, expecting more attention to be given to the unprecedented challenges facing the region. NDN spoke to senior citizens who traveled from rural villages to attend this year’s address, and their expectations were different. Mabibo Musole expressed his disappointment, stating that the Governor did not touch on various challenges that the region is facing, particularly in Katima Mulilo and elsewhere. Musole believes that the Governor’s report mainly focused on administrative aspects rather than addressing the daily problems faced by the region.
Among the pressing concerns voiced by the public are the critical state of the sewer network, poor road infrastructure in Katima Mulilo (despite Namibian roads being rated as the best in Africa), learners attending classes under trees, issues of returning money to the treasury, corruption in some ministries, slow pace of development, lack of resources to fast-track development, poor academic performance of learners, unemployment, and the issue of unemployed graduates.
Residents believe that the State of the Region Address should have provided more concrete plans and solutions to address these challenges effectively. They call upon the government to collaborate with citizens and stakeholders to devise new strategies that reflect the current economic and social realities.
Another pensioner, who chose not to reveal his identity, complained about the lack of support in the agriculture sector. Private individuals like him are trying their best to improve their livelihoods and that of the region through farming, but they face little support from both the Regional and central government. He stressed that the current agricultural subsidy of three hectares is insufficient and does not benefit everyone, as some farmers are left without assistance until the end of the plowing season. The pensioner urges the government to come up with new ideas that align with current economic conditions, rather than relying on outdated strategies from 1995 when agriculture inputs were cheaper and the economy was different.- Namibia Daily News
