Ongwediva
The demand for land at settlements in the Oshana Region exceeds the number of available plots.
Creating additional settlements are one option to the alleviate the housing backlog within local authorities, but Oshana Region is already faced with an overwhelming demand by prospective homeowners at their only two settlements.
Oshana Regional Governor Clemens Kashuupulwa said Uukwangula and Eheke – which have officially been proclaimed as settlements – already have a high number of people on the waiting list for residential erven.
Because of the high demand for resettlement, the region has decided to establish three more settlements. The areas earmarked for new settlements are Onamutai near Ongwediva, Uukwiyuushona near Ondangwa, and Uuvudhiya.
“Onamutai and Uukwiyuushona are close to the towns and homeowners can commute to either Ondangwa or Ongwediva for work. Uukwiyuushona is special. The ministry of agriculture and forestry has already established offices there, and a number of people have cattle posts in that area. One can opt to build a house that side,” said Kashuupulwa.
“But there are several procedures to follow when establishing or expanding a settlement, which include legal and financial implications. One needs to compensate the people that you find at a specific place and land needs to be serviced,” Kashuupulwa explained.
Ehenya and Uukwangula are serviced with proper streets and electricity, including streetlights. A sewerage pond has also been set up.
Kashuupululwa said central government had earlier subsidised the regional council with millions of dollars, ranging between N$20 million to N$30 million, which brought the settlements to up the current standard, but the further expansion of settlements would require additional funds.
Kashuupulwa then urged the people that will be allocated plots at the settlements to build their houses. He said the regional council would ask the ministry to build some houses that would be leased to people in the low-income group, but those that can afford it are advised to build their own houses.
Although most plots at the settlements have not yet been allocated to owners, the number of applicants by far exceed the number of available plots.
Oshana’s chief regional officer, Martin Elago, said one of the council’s latest resolutions is to speed up the process of allocating available plots to applicants.
“We have realised that there were many unallocated plots, but the process of allocation was very slow. We have now found a way to make the process as fast as possible, but still the list of applicants is just too long. The demand is very high, so we have now asked for extra funds from government to make more land available,” Elago said.
Elago, who was appointed as the administrative head of the region last year, said his predecessor had earlier applied for extra funds, but there were some misunderstandings between the institutions involved and this prevented the allocation of funds to the settlement projects.
The regional administration has now started over with the allocation process. Elago said he is confident it will be successful.