KATIMA MULILO – Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has assured the people of the Zambezi region that the government will continue to ensure that every village has a borehole for drinking water, food production, and for livestock.
Speaking at the annual Lusata Cultural Festival of the Mafwe Traditional Authority (MTA) held at the traditional headquarters of Chinchimani in the Zambezi region on Sunday, Ngurare stressed that “Every borehole drilled by the government remains government property regardless of whose land it is drilled on. This is in line with the Water Resources Management Act 11 of 2013. In other words, when any community requires drinking water, such a borehole will not be restricted. In some parts of the country where water is brackish, we will install mini desalination plants,” he said.
The Lusata Cultural Festival signalled the end of the cultural festival cycle in the Zambezi region, which was all graced by Ngurare this year as a guest of honour and keynote speaker.
During his deliberations with Chief Litunga George Simasiku Mamili VII of the MTA, Ngurare revealed that some of the concerns raised by the Chief included food production and the people’s willingness to ensure that the region becomes a breadbasket.
However, access to markets, a lack of requisite agricultural implements, and accelerated borehole drilling across Zambezi and other parts of the country remain inhibiting factors.
Hence, Ngurare assured Litunga George Simasiku Mamili VII and other traditional authorities present to act, stressing that: “As I indicated in Parliament and during the cultural festivals at Bukalo, Sangwali and Choi, we shall continue to ensure that every village has a borehole.
Every Namibian, especially those in rural areas and informal settlements, must have access to dignified sanitation facilities.”
Additionally, the Prime Minister stated that apart from potable water, sanitation, education and health facilities equipped with all the medicines, Namibians need decent housing, roads, rural development, wealth, prosperity, peace, stability, empowerment and an enabling environment through which they can realise their potential to the fullest. -Nampa