Windhoek
Otjozondjupa Regional Governor Otto Ipinge has declared Kalkfeld, New Sommerau and Gam as areas in need of special development attention because of high poverty levels and record unemployment among youth.
In his state of the region address, Ipinge said that after he undertook a familiarisation visit to all corners of the region – to all seven constituencies – he realised the three settlements need special attention.
“I call on all government departments and agencies to give more attention … to the needs of the people on the ground,” he said.
“But I am happy the region is on the right track, improving gradually,” he added. However, he said what concerns him is “the failure of implementing capital projects timeously, such as the construction of three classroom blocks at New Sommerau that is extremely delayed”.
“I am informed that the delay of this project is within the office of the surveyor general, and I am requesting the Ministry of Education to coordinate well and speed up the completion of these classroom blocks, stores and teacher accommodation facilities,” he said.
He said he was well aware that of the seven capital projects for classroom construction only two capital projects thus far had been completed in the past financial year, namely Karundu Junior Secondary School and Donates Primary School.
“This is worrisome,” he stressed.
Ipinge said that as the region is very vast some of the schools are located in remote areas, where accommodation for teachers is a major challenge.
He said in trying to address this problem government is currently busy constructing 24 flats for teachers, the majority of which are earmarked for Tsumkwe Constituency.
However, much is still desired regarding the school hostels at Otjozondu Primary School and K J Kapeua Primary School in Omatako Constituency, as well as Okondjatu Combined School in Okakarara Constituency.
He went on to say that his office is also disturbed by the current condition of the Okakarara Secondary School Hall, which is extremely dilapidated.
“I therefore am directing the Directorate of Education in the region to address the situation as a matter of urgency.”
Ipinge also announced that the Otjiwarongo Municipality has availed a piece of serviced land for the construction of a food bank for the region.
He said the overall objective of the initiative is to cater for the basic needs of needy Namibians who have been collecting food from dump sites across the country.
“It is fair to mention that the government’s response is in a sense very inclusive of all the other affected members of society, hence this initiative is indeed welcomed in the region,” he said.
“I therefore call on all the other local authorities to follow in the footsteps of the Otjiwarongo Municipality,” he added.