Government welcomes the IPPR research on land and house problem

Robert Maseka

WINDHOEK, Mar 14 – The Institute for Public Policy Research in conjunction with the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and the Germany embassy launched a research project on land and housing yesterday in Windhoek.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Mr. Diertrich Remert said that they were able to compile a report which will be useful to all stakeholders even-though they did not have enough resources to cover the entire country.

Officiating at the launch, the Deputy Minister of Urban and Rural Development said that government had welcomed the research and believed it would help government to make informed decisions on how to address the issue of land and housing.

According to an IPPR report, the perception of housing prices are: 21% cheap housing prices; 25% felt that they were affordable; and the remaining 54% felt that housing prices were expensive.

With regards to how various municipalities are addressing the provision of housing in their respective areas, 48% said the provision is to slow; 18% said nothing is being done; 17% felt they are helpful; 13% said they were plagued by corruption and nepotism; and 4% felt their municipalities were performing fairly in providing housing.

On whether people prefer to rent or buy a house or buy land: 47% preferred to buy land; 40% preferred to buy a house; and 13% preferred to rent.

In Otjiwarongo, 57% preferred to buy land, 37% chose to buy a house and 6% preferred to rent. Walvisbay was the outlier, recording only 20% preferring to buy land, compared with 35% rental preference and 45% preference to buy a house. In Windhoek 61% preferred to buy land, while only 38% of household indicated that they would like to buy a house and 1% indicated a rent preference.

Also speaking at the event The Ambassador of the federal Republic of German said that the report was adequately and professionally done, and was happy to play a part in investing in a project to help in the fight to solve the land and housing problem in the country. – mrobert@namibiadailynews.info