Kalkrand Village Council members, with Dr Elija Ngurare (centre standing). Photo: Hoandi !Gaeb
KALKRAND – Swapo Youth League Secretary, Dr Elijah Ngurare, has called on residents of Kalkrand to map their own destiny regarding future developments in their area. Ngurare was speaking at a business meeting organized by the Kalkrand Village Council in an effort to attract investment to the village yesterday.
About 26 business erven have been serviced and are now available for sale to potential business people from Kalkrand and the rest of the country to help develop the impoverished southern town.
Ngurare said although the fundamental role of a democratically elected local government is the representation of local communities, a collective voicing of concerns and response to the local needs are necessary to take the town of Kalkrand and the region forward.
The Chief Executive Officer of Kalkrand Village, Seth Boois, said good progress has been made during the past few months on the development of the village, with the village soccer field presently being upgraded to meet international standards. There are also plans to construct a shopping mall and a second service station. He called on the residents of the town to cooperate with the council in order to develop the town and to move it to greater heights. “If we all pull in the same direction, nothing is impossible to make Kalkrand a better place for all,” he said.
The village of Kalkrand is situated about 180 kilometers south of Windhoek on the B1 road.
Ngurare said economic development in Kalkrand would effectively address local concerns, such as youth unemployment, alcohol and drug abuse, human trafficking and prostitution. He said the good ideas that are aimed at developing the Kalkrand local authority must be supported and embraced by all.
Ngurare said the welfare of the Namibian people both in rural areas as well as in urban areas must be a collective concern. “That is why people elect political parties with a sound election manifesto in order to deliver the necessary services to them. Our elected councils therefore must deliver on the political promises made during elections,” he said.
Ngurare called on the local village council to see to it that all local tenders are allocated to local people in order to boost economic development at the town. He said the Kalkrand Village Council cannot afford to fail the residents and must go the extra mile to satisfy the needs of the people. He said the business meeting would be met and many small and medium enterprises would emerge as real partners in the realization of the goals of Vision 2030.