Keetmanshoop
The mayors of Keetmanshoop and Otjiwarongo put pen to paper last Thursday when they signed an agreement that will see the two towns working closely together.
Keetmanshoop Mayor Gaudentia Krohne and her counterpart Bennes Haimbondi signed a twinning agreement for the two parties to cooperate in different spheres.
In the agreement signed at Keetmanshoop, the two towns resolved to share information, resources and skills, exchange staff members and hold seminars and meetings to share ideas on developing the towns.
The agreement also states that the two parties are to make budgetary provisions so that the agreement is fulfilled.
Speaking at the event, Krohne stressed the importance of the agreement, saying that local authorities irrespective of location are facing similar challenges and therefore team work and collaboration between local authorities are needed to achieve service delivery.
She said the agreement marks the beginning of a significant and close working relationship between the two towns, adding that under the current economic state, no local authority no matter how big or well established it may be, can address its challenges alone and that’s why team work comes in handy.
“In a service delivery environment where you are challenged by similarities with sister municipalities, cooperative agreements with such sister municipalities to keep ahead of the service delivery challenge are inevitable,” she said.
She further said the agreement will not only benefit the two local authorities, but will also have various benefits for the residents of the two towns, especially business people.
“This relationship, I believe, symbolises a partnership that will open doors for cross-trade among our small and medium enterprises and it will lead to many areas of synergies among communities of both Keetmanshoop and Otjiwarongo,” she said.
The mayor also called for the strengthening of the working relationship between the local council and the //Karas regional council, saying joint planning for development and implementation of government programmes is of the essence.