Omaheke prioritises housing provision

GOBABIS, 27 Apr – The Omaheke Regional Council has prioritised the provision of housing to the region’s inhabitants, with special emphasis on low-income earners.
The region has amongst others, resuscitated the Build Together Programme, and the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia’s (SDFN) housing savings groups have also been given a boost in an attempt to reduce the backlog in housing provision.
The status quo in the provision of housing to Omaheke residents was made known by Regional Governor, Festus Ueitele, in his State of the Region Address here on Wednesday.
The governor, in his address, reflected on developments within the region in relation to service provision and the implementation of Government programmes during the 2017/18 financial year.
Ueitele said the Build Together Programme, which was initially placed on hold when the Mass Housing project commenced some three years ago, has been reactivated.
He said the regional council is considering increasing the loan amount to would-be house owners under the programme from the current N.dollars 40 000 to N.dollars 60 000.
The governor revealed that the Otjinene Village Council is currently constructing 13 Build Together houses and 50 SDFN houses as part of the renewed housing provision drive.
Although the Gobabis Municipality did not construct a single house during the period under review, it however managed to conclude with a local developer the sale of 68 serviced erven in Rakutuka Extension 7 for the construction of houses, Ueitele said.
“Council further went into a joint venture with Eagles Focus Investment cc to construct 50 houses in Independence Island Extension 3,” said Ueitele.
Five low-cost houses were constructed in Omitara during the same financial year as a pilot project under the Cash/Food for Work programme.
The Otjinene Village Council also commenced with the gravelling of its main street, as well as other feeder roads of Otjinene through Road Fund Administration funding.
In addition, a total of 176 houses are being connected to the sewerage and water system at Otjinene.
(NAMPA)