Malakia Nashongo
Northern regions led by the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development recently concluded a consultative workshop to review the national compensation policy of 2009 in Oshana.
The workshop sought to source inputs and the challenges facing local authorities when implementing the current policy when moving homesteads off land for urban development.
Although the policy is supposed to be reviewed every five years, there was no review done since its adoption.
The regions in unison are of the view that the existing policy is outdated, as prices of all the commodities have gone up over the years.
Some of the challenges local authorities endure are that those being relocated to pave way for development are reluctant to move.
They claim that the existing amount to be paid per hectare is too low, making it difficult to make a living afterwards.
“What is important is to keep people either better off or to maintain their livelihood as they were before development comes,” said the mayor of Omuthiya, Johannes Ndeutepo.
Outapi CEO Ananias Nashilongo explained that under compensation makes it difficult for people to make a living where they are moving.
“If you undercompensate residents, how would you expect them to come up with new houses in the villages or to set up proper houses that are in line with the standard of the town? It will be difficult! That is why I think this revision, which we have now is very important for our people to be able to be met by the government halfway in order to be able to pave way for development,” Nashilongo said further.
On her part, the deputy director for local authorities in the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development said they are happy with the level of participation from the participants and the input and suggestions brought forward. As such, the ministry sees the need to review the legal framework of the current compensation policy.
*Malakia Nashongo works for the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology at Oshana regional office