By Emma Kakololo
WINDHOEK
Over 60 workers and management staff of the Orange River Irrigation Project have reacted to a petition that was handed over to the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, Dr Nickey Iyambo, last week, accusing the Government of breach of contract.
The disputed petition by the so-called settler farmers accused the Government of failing to honour its promises of resettlement made in 2001.
The farmers charged that they were allocated a four-hectare plot each as part of the Orange River Irrigation Project at Noordoewer, on condition that they complete a three-year training programme, a contract that the Government failed to honour.
The Governor of Karas, David Boois, received the petition last week on behalf of the minister.
In a new petition that was handed to the minister on Sunday, the workers and management staff rejected the initial petition, arguing that it was not a collective effort of all farmers, and that those who signed it did so because they were misinformed.
They claimed that only 13 out of the 20 farmers signed the petition.
“Some people who are not farmers instigated farmers because of their personal finance to enrich themselves,” they argued.
“The petition’s second page was not read, among others. It was given only to be signed and most people who appeared were not farmers, therefore we also would appreciate it if the Honourable Minister orders an investigation to verify the signatures.”
Further, they cautioned the minister to be wary of some politicians who were using their offices to obtain government projects for themselves on financial interest by using illiterate people.
“We as management and the workers, we feel black empowerment is being practised because right now this is the project which is fully managed by black Namibians compared to in the valley.
“We therefore ask the minister to study the petition with extra care since the petition has a lot of issues which were not made clear to other members who signed, and was hidden among other members.
“We believe that the minister and the board will handle the situation amicably,” they appealed.
They urged farmers to desist from being used as rubberstamps by those who want to advance their own interests.
“Those small farmers are playing with our future since they have farming units where they are expected to farm, rather than involving themselves in writing petitions of certain people’s interest.
“We are proud of the work currently and we are looking forward for the Government to open similar projects in other parts of the country so that we can train others with the necessary skills that we have,” they said.