AMINUIS – Aminuis constituency councillor Peter Kazongominja has warned farmers in the constituency not to build structures around the drilled boreholes in the various villages of the area.

The drilled boreholes are a result of construction work on the 144-kilometre road from Onderombapa to Aranos by the Roads Contractor Company (RCC).

Kazongominja, in a recent interview, told Nampa that farmers are erecting structures around the drilled boreholes in the hope of inheriting them once construction work is done.

“We are aware of the water crisis in some parts of the constituency but we cannot allow this practice to continue, as it will bring dispute among the residents,” the councillor said. He raised concern that some people go to the extent of building structures in boundaries of other villages, saying this is unacceptable, as grazing areas will be affected, thereby creating disputes among communities.

“People should wait until the boreholes are given to the communities, whereby the leadership, including traditional authorities, will sit together and come up with right procedures to deal with the matter,” Kazongominja urged.

When contacted for comment, Roads Authority corporate communications manager Hileni Fillemon told this agency that the boreholes belong to the contractor – and since they received numerous requests from community members, RA will engage the contractor on the matter.

“We will make sure the boreholes are handed over to the communities at the end of the project through right channels,” Fillemon said, adding that all stakeholders, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform will be engaged.

The boreholes are in the areas of Revia, Ruams, Okomukaru, Otjituve, Otjoruharui, Otjomunguindi, Okombepera, Ondiripumua, Otjongombe and Otjovakombe, among others.  – Nampa