Keetmanshoop
Karasburg East Constituency Councillor Dennis Coetzee says the decentralisation process should be fully implemented if the Harambee targets are to be achieved.
Coetzee says he is full of confidence in the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP) and what it aims to achieve, but he is of the opinion the set targets can easily be achieved if the decentralisation process is fully implemented.
He said this would allow fast service delivery and ensure people in the region, especially the rural population, will have access to basic services and proper sanitation.
“If we want the Harambee plan to be a success, decentralisation must be fast-tracked so that people previously disadvantaged can equally benefit,” he stated.
He indicated that significant progress has been made by ministries whose services are decentralised and people now have easy access to what they need.
But he added it is also difficult to monitor government projects as councillors are not involved and many a time the contractors given certain projects do sub-standard work.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry is one of the key ministries that need urgent decentralisation, he said, adding that the rural water supply division which falls under the ministry is of great importance as it provides water to rural people and thus needs to have its services close to people.
He said the current set-up has created a situation which has resulted in some people in the constituency staying for up to four months without water, while close to 300 people at Warmbad West have to rely on two water pumps only, as everything is done in the capital.
But he says this situation can improve with decentralisation.
“Currently the regional council is not involved and everything is done in Windhoek, but if this is decentralised we will do a better job and faster,” he stated.
He further said that decentralisation would be key to ensure that no one is left out, as this will help bring Harambee to the grass-roots level and benefit all communities.