OTJIWARONGO – The Otjozondjupa Regional Council on Tuesday signed 20 contractual agreements with private companies and individual truck owners to assist in distributing food under the government’s drought relief food programme.

Otjozondjupa Regional Council chairperson Marlayn Mbakera signed the agreements on behalf of the regional council. She said the council’s disaster risk management committee is behind schedule by four months with the distribution of the drought relief food since there are only two government trucks that distribute the parcels to beneficiaries.

Mbakera explained to the transport service providers that funds would come from the Office of the Prime Minister and would be channelled through the Otjozondjupa Regional Council, with payment set at N$30 per kilometre.

“You are not limited as to where you have to distribute. The further the distribution centre is, the more money you can claim,” she said.

She however, urged the transport service providers to be consistent and efficient as stipulated in their contractual agreements so that the beneficiaries do not go hungry while there is government food available in the storeroom at Otavi.

Chief regional officer Agatha Mweti on her part reminded the truck owners to ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy, serviced and operated by licensed drivers during the drought relief distribution as that is not the responsibility of the regional council.

“The fuel costs are also on you the truck owners,” she explained.

The seven constituency councillors of Tsumkwe, Grootfontein, Otavi, Otjiwarongo, Okahandja, Omatako and Okakarara also attended the event.

-Nampa