Otjiwarongo Municipality tables N$ 148 million budget

OTJIWARONGO, 30 APR  – The Otjiwarongo Municipality extraordinary council meeting on Monday approved the municipality’s 2018/19 capital and expenditure budget of N.dollars 148.8 million.
The council, in 2017, tabled a budget of about N.dollars 104 million dollars, far less than this year’s budget.
Chairperson of the management committee of the Otjiwarongo Municipality, Hilda Jesaja tabled the budget.
The six local authority councillors who attended the meeting, unanimously approved it in the presence of Mayor Bennes Haimbondi.
Jesaja said extensive discussions and considerations on the budget were done between her management committee and top officials of the municipality before it was tabled.
She said the budget is aimed at bringing meaningful changes to the town and the Otjozondjupa Region as a whole.
“As a council it is our mandate to improve lives of our residents by not only supplying them with services but also by improving their living conditions,” she said.
Jesaja said the capital budget of N.dollars 32.3 million was agreed to be spent on projects, including the construction or upgrading of a public market.
A new fire station is also budgeted for; resealing of a 14 kilometre tarred road; upgrading of the public parking facilities and bus stop stations; branding of the town; upgrading of curbs and sidewalks in Orwetoveni, and purchase of compact trucks, amongst others, are all included in the budget.
Jeseja also announced a zero per cent hike or increase in rates and taxes during this financial year.
She said about N.dollars 56 million of the budget will cover the sitting allowances of the seven local authority councillors and salaries of the 118 municipal employees.
The budget for 2018/19 will be forwarded to the Minister of Urban and Rural Development Peya Mushelenga for final approval.

NAMPA