OKAUKUEJO – The Millennium Challenge Account-Namibia (MCA-N) officially handed over its N$350 million investment in Etosha, shaming its critics who saw the investment as an American plot to sell Etosha Nationa Park.
“In 2008 the Compact development team found itself in a strange predicament having to field accusations that MCA-Namibia was a conspiracy funded by the US government through the Millennium Challenge Corporation, our partner, to sell Etosha National Park to foreign nationals. I even recall a cartoon in one of the Namibian dailies which showed drilling for oil in Etosha by opulent US businessmen,” reminisced MCA-N CEO Penny Akwenye who officially handed over the new houses, management and support infrastructures as well as tourism facilities to the second largest national park in the country.
In the run-up before the implementation of MCA-Namibia in 2009, there were a lot of discussions around Etosha which saw a lot of criticism about Etosha being “sold off to Americans”.
“As the CEO of MCA-Namibia I did not say much at the time as I felt the Namibian nation should be the judge of these accusations. Now, seven years later, please make the final judgment when you look around and admire the new houses for staff, the administration buildings, the renovated housing units in Okaukuejo, the Olifantrus tourist facility, the impressive new Galton Gate and entrance facilities, the evaporation ponds, the new water and power infrastructure and by all means report any oil rigs, private lodge infrastructure, illegal business activities by US opulent business?” she said.
“All I have been able to see during the five-year Compact implementation is a growing commitment of our implementing partners to the Compact, a growing commitment and warm appreciation of our board members to the Compact, a growing commitment and warm appreciation of our beneficiaries and a highly committed counterpart team at MCC working together with MCA-Namibia at technical level, while providing oversight of this (overall) USD304.5 million investment.”
The infrastructure handed over on Wednesday and Thursday form part of the MCA-N Compact’s implementation which started in 2008 geared towards improving the business model and practices in Etosha.
Speaking during the handover ceremony of the new houses for staff in Ombika, Okaukuejo and Galton Gate, management and support infrastructure, the Galton Gate entrance facilities and the tourism facilities at the Olifantrus stopover along the Galton Gate route, Akwenye said they are pleased that work was completed on time before the Compact closure in mid-September this year.
She said conditions set in the Compact was a challenge, one being the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) should award rights to conservancies around Etosha for them to start benefitting from the natural resources.
While such a condition was however a challenge to be met, the Sheya Uushona and Ehitovipuka and #Khoadi //Hoas conservancies will soon start benefitting from their exclusive access concessions into the park, taking tourists to designated exclusive use areas in the park.
Akwenye who handed over the new infrastructure also announced that the infrastructure will benefit communities such as the Hai-//om community on the resettlement farms to become active in the tourism industry.
The Minister of Environment and Tourism (MET) Uahekua Herunga who welcomed the infrastructure warned against the increasing illegal poaching of rhinos and foreign names used in the national parks such as Galton and called on such names to be re-named after Namibian heroes and heroines. Regarding accommodation for staff, Etosha now has a housing policy and implementation plan in place that will guide the use of the new and existing houses in the park.
“In the past it was difficult if not impossible to enforce any sort of housing policy due to the fact that there was a huge shortage of houses in the park. With the new houses provided, the housing policy can now be enforced to create a conducive living environment for staff in Etosha and attract qualified staff to work in the park,” she added.
She noted that the newly constructed houses are sufficient for all staff but the underground water, sewerage and power provision is adequate for future expansion to up to 90 houses in Ombika and up to 60 houses at Galton.