Okombahe
The Erongo Region electricity distributor, Erongo Red, recently launched an ambitious rural and peri-urban electrification project that will see 601 households connected to the country’s national electricity grid.
The project that will cost N$12 million was launched in Okombahe and will culminate in 245 houses in Okombahe, 158 in Omatjete, 45 in Otjihorongo, 112 at Tubusis and 41 in Anixab connected to the national electricity grid by September this year.
Speaking during the launch of the project, the chief executive officer of Erongo Red, Robert Kahimise, said bringing electricity closer to the people especially in the rural areas is seen as an initiative that will not only better the lives of residents, but also boost economic activities in rural areas.
“Erongo Red is committed to supplement government efforts to build a robust, sustainable and prosperous Namibia by the year 2030, by ensuring uninterrupted supply of electricity in the region of Erongo.
“We are 100 percent committed to support our president Hage Geingob’s call for poverty eradication through the Harambee Prosperity Plan,” he said.
According to Kahimise, the power utility was established with the mandate to distribute and supply electricity to the areas under its jurisdiction, in this case Erongo Region.
“I can confidently say that we are living up to our mandate. The launch of the electrification project today is a clear testimony to that effect. Through these efforts, Erongo Red would like to make a contribution towards the social development and livelihood of our people in Erongo Region and of Namibia at large,” he said.
“Erongo Red started with the initiative to connect the unconnected in 2013 in response to the outcome of the census which indicated that our region had low percentage of rural communities with access to electricity.”
In December 2013, 165 houses were added to the national grid in Uis and 285 in 2014 at Henties Bay Uis, Usakos, Omaruru and Otjimbingwe.
“Parallel to this project, we have also identified localities in the peri-urban areas of Karibib, Omaruru and Usakos. Our engineers are busy with the planning and designs and soon we will go out on tender,” he added.
In addition to the projects, Kahimise said that Erongo Red is also actively involved in the community through its corporate social responsibility activities and has ploughed back over N$3.5 million since 2013.
Also speaking at the launch of the project, the governor of Erongo Region, Cleophas Mutjavikua, appealed to the residents of Daures Constituency to not only use electricity as a source to service their basic needs but to see how their can boost income generating activities to sustain themselves.
He also urged residents to look after the infrastructure and preserve it for future generations.