by Foibe Paavo
Swakopmund, July 29 — The Namibia Water Corporation Ltd (NamWater) held a stakeholder engagement session at Swakopmund this week.
Held under the theme “Unlocking strategy value” the sole purpose of the meeting was to embrace a customer-focused development agenda that builds on an inclusive and shared sustainability which values stakeholders in the Erongo Region.
NamWater supplies bulk water to industries, municipalities and village councils as well as the Directorate of Water Supply in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry.
The aim of the utility is to provide sufficient and affordable quality water to all stakeholders.
NamWater was established in 1997 and formally started its operations in 1998. It is classified as a service rendering enterprise in terms of the State-owned Enterprises Governance Act of 2006.
NamWater has N$5.6 billion total asset base and 95% water quality.
During the engagement, NamWater Chief Executive Officer, Abraham Nehemia, said the Corporation faces huge challenges due to the lack of education and appreciation by the public regarding water.
He said Namibia is a dry country, thus climate change presents a challenge but the principle of water as a human right has made Namibians have this perception of water as a free good and that perception leads to company losses and huge debts.
“The was a time the institution had to borrow to pay the employees,” he said.
The acting head of Business Unit Coastal, Frans Ihuhua, said:“This event is very historic, in the sense that because the nature in which NamWater is reinventing itself as a dynamic and sustainable institution, will enable it to cope with the economic changes and the complexity of the local business environments.
He added that NamWater is embracing a customer-focused development agenda.
The newly developed 5th (2022-2027) strategy to supply water to the whole nation at large, with the theme“access to water for all” aims to further manage the efficiency and security of water supply and meet the government halfway.
“Through this strategy, the corporation looks out to respond to new challenges it faces with its mandate,” Nehemia said.
