Ongwediva’s budget increases slightly for 2018/19

ONGWEDIVA, 18 MAY – The Ongwediva Town Council has prioritised key development projects such as urban planning and township establishment and the upgrading of the town’s fire station for the 2018/19 financial year.
Other priorities for the year are crop field compensations and the provision of service infrastructure.
Ongwediva Mayor, Angelina Angula listed the projects on Thursday while presenting her council’s 2018/19 budget of over N.dollars 116 million.
The town’s budget increased slightly from the N.dollars 115 462 485 budget of the 2017/18 financial year.
Angula pointed out that expansion and rehabilitation of oxidation ponds, maintenance of gravel roads and acquiring of machinery and equipment also form part of the prioritised key development projects.
“This development agenda is in line with the goals and objectives as outlined in the council’s five-year strategic plan, the Harambee Prosperity Plan, the National Development Plans and Vision 2030,” she said.
Angula said Ehenge Street will be upgraded from gravel to bitumen standard for N.dollars 13,8 million in 2018/19. The council could not start working on the road during the 2017/18 financial year due to under-budgeting.
The town’s fire station was constructed last year for N.dollars 3 million provided by the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, but Angula said in the 2018/19 budget the council allocated N.dollars 1.5 million for the construction of sleeping quarters for the station’s standby personnel.
“A considerable portion of the budget, amounting to N.dollars 30.9 million, is devoted to capital projects, representing about 26 per cent of the total budget, whereas 74 per cent is devoted to operational expenses such as bulk water purchases and compensation payment,” she stated.
This portion of the budget also covers repairs and maintenance of roads, other municipal infrastructure, machinery, equipment and personnel costs.
Angula said the Ongwediva Town Council also plans to explore the possibility of promoting Public Private Partnerships, particularly for the provision of quality education and the establishment of a truck port and industrial business hub.
(NAMPA)