ONDANGWA President Hifikepunye Pohamba officially opened the second phase of the Northern Railway Extension Project near Ondangwa in the Oshana Region on Saturday. Founding president Dr Sam Nujoma, Prime Minister Nahas Angula, a number of cabinet ministers and community members joined the Head of State at the site to perform volunteer work. With the commencement of phase two of the project, Pohamba encouraged all citizens to work harder than they did during phase one of the Tsumeb-Ondangwa project. “I have come here to encourage you all to do your best so that our dreams of completing this project on time can become a reality,” the President pointed out. He wants to see people working in cooperation, maintain teamwork and observe the rules of safety to avoid injuries, as they continue to volunteer hard work at the different sites of the project. The Head of State noted that it is important to ensure the health and safety of all workers, because if the workers are injured on duty or if their health is compromised, progress of the project will suffer and it will not be completed on schedule. Pohamba said the Northern Railway Extension Project is a national undertaking and anybody who would tamper with it at its completion would be confronted by the nation. He used the same occasion to applaud Nujoma for the guidance he has provided in the implementation of the Northern Railway Extension Project and other development endeavours in other parts of the country. Pohamba believes that Nujoma’s vision to extend development to all parts of the country over the past 15 years has re-energized people in the country and made them enthusiastic to participate and contribute to development projects. Phase two of the railway project would extend Namibia’s rail infrastructure to Oshikango and eventually link the country with the rail system of neighbouring Angola. Speaking at the same occasion, Works, Transport and Communication Minister Joel Kaapanda pointed out that five contractors and over 2 000 community members are involved in the second phase of the project. Kaapanda indicated that phase two, set for completion in 2009, would cost the government about N$560 million. The main station of phase two of the Northern Railway Extension Project would be built at Oshikango suburb of Helao Nafidi town. – Nampa