WINDHOEK – The Governor of Otjozondjupa Region Otto Ipinge has declared Tsumkwe Constituency a special area that needs special developmental attention.
Ipinge recently concluded his two-day visit to Tsumkwe, accompanied by high-profile government officials such as mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo, deputy education minister Anna Nghipondoka, deputy minister of home affairs Maureen Hinda, as well as Royal /Ui/o/oo, the deputy minister of marginalised communities.
The group held a number of meetings with community members of Tsumkwe, Gam and Mangetti Dune, aimed at mapping the aspects of socio-economic development and enhancing social progression in the area.
With regard to education, Nghipondoka was particularly concerned with the issue of ever increasing cases of child marriage that, as a result, lead to a high school dropout rate.
Such practice hinders the social progression of the girl-child in Namibian schools, the deputy minister said. She further urged for a paradigm shift in cultural practice, hence a need for parental involvement in shaping academic goals for young girls and boys.
“We need to keep our youngsters in schools, so we should commit to nurture and protect them as parents,” said Nghipondoka.
On home affairs, huge concern was raised by many people living in Gam settlement, having migrated from neighbouring Botswana where scores of Namibians had fled to avoid killings by German colonial forces.
This group raised the challenge of obtaining Namibian citizenship by registration versus citizenship by descent as possessed by some of their counterparts. This status, according to them, reduces their fair chance of employment and other benefits, hence they feel disadvantaged.
Home affairs deputy minister Hinda reacted that in order for an individual to acquire citizenship in any given country, they first have to denounce their previous ones, which is only done after the age of 21 years.
She further referred to the law and policy aspects involved and guided individuals not to lie about their background with the motive to obtain national documents. “Cabinet is keen on tabling a Bill to this effect,” she said.
/Ui/o/oo encouraged members from particularly the San, Ovatue and Ovatjimba communities to approach his office for any kind of assistance needed.
Alweendo, while responding to questions pertaining to the provision of electricity, pleaded with the regional electricity distribution company Cenored, whose representatives were also present at the gathering together with officials of the Electricity Control Board (ECB) and NamPower, to collectively render service delivery as per their mandate.
Apart from concerns about lack of water and electricity, inhabitants of Gam, Tsumkwe and Mangetti Dune also alluded to issues of a lack of a mortuary in the area, the absence of an ambulance in case of emergency and that there has been no medical doctor outreach for the past three years at the two state medical health centres in the area.
They also want the 300-km gravel road connecting Gam to Grootfontein to be upgraded to bitumen standard urgently in order for motorists to commute with ease between the two areas.