OMUTHIYA – Just in time when community members of Nehale Lya Mpingana Constituency – worst hit in terms of availability of basic services – were wondering about the slow paced development in the constituency, the councillor Leevi Reinholdt has said “it’s time they reap the fruits of independence”.
The councillor assured his subjects that much needed services, such as construction of major access roads, drilling of boreholes and extension of water pipelines to remote areas are to be rolled out in this financial year.
Nehale Lya Mpingana is one of the most inaccessible constituencies in Oshikoto Region due to poor road infrastructure, coupled with water crisis.
Lack of telecommunication network, which had literally cut off the constituency from the world, is now a thing of the past as the councillor announced the recent installation of five MTC network towers, thereby providing 100 percent coverage.
“We are now moving in the right direction in terms of service provision, the areas have for years been neglected. But I am glad that a number of priority project will be enforced soon, among such on the agenda is the construction of the more 104km gravel road from Andoni to Oidiva connecting to Kavango East,” revealed Reinholdt in an interview.
Further saying, this will be a major road as it will connect the constituency office, nine schools and clinics that are in a radius of 10 kilometres, all which are only accessible using a four-wheel drive vehicle. In addition, another gravel road stretching about 100 is planned from Oshiti ShaHaihonya up to Okongo, in Ohangwena Region.
Reinholdt also shared that nine boreholes are set to be drilled in this financial year while four more will be repaired. This breath taking development comes hot on the heels of the constituency’s water woes which have seen community members relying on traditional wells and saline water for both human and animal consumption.
“We will also be extending water a pipeline from Omutwegonime to Andoni, which is more than 40 kilometres. This is already planned and once funds are released in due course, the project will be implemented immediately,” stated Reinholdt, without divulging how much these projects will cost.
“All these projects are prioritised. Right now, we are still working on the finances, planning and budgeting, and once this is done, I can be able to provide the exact cost,” he reiterated.