Ueitele implores region to continue doing ‘more with less’

GOBABIS, 25 APR – Omaheke Regional Governor, Festus Ueitele on Tuesday delivered his State of the Region Address (SORA), in which he highlighted government challenges and achievements during the previous year.
SORAs are delivered each year by regional governors, in which they reflect on projects and initiatives of the government at regional level and implementation status of national developmental programmes.
It is delivered shortly after the State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered by the Head of State.
Opting to theme his address around the five pillars of the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP), Ueitele repeatedly pressed on the need to “do more with less”, in light of current economic headwinds facing the country.
The HPP was launched by President Hage Geingob during his 2016 SONA.
The governor was at pains to explain that certain programmes in some ministries did not take place as anticipated, due to the budget constraints facing such ministries.
He highlighted amongst others, the Youth Credit Scheme under the Ministry of Sports, Youth and National Service, which could not advance further loans to youth-run businesses.
Ueitele noted that the Gobabis Municipality also did not construct any houses in Gobabis during the year under review, but did however conclude a sale of 68 serviced erven in Rakutuka Extension 7 for the construction of houses by a private developer.
The municipality further concluded the re-blocking of Freedom Square informal settlement, where 1 024 households were allocated erven of 300 square metres each. They can get ownership of the land under the Flexible Land Tenure Act currently piloted in Gobabis by the Ministry of Land Reform.
This programme, which has been highly rated by other local authorities, has since been extended to the Canaan C Informal Settlement and is undertaken in conjunction with the Namibia Housing Action Group, Shack Dwellers Federation, and Namibia University of Science and Technology students of the Town Planning and Architecture Department.
Ueitele said the region also managed to perform well in the health and education sector.
High poverty levels, unemployment and lack of development however still continue to haunt the region, Ueitele admitted.
Omaheke has been consistently ranked as one of the poorest regions in the country.
NAMPA