Windhoek
Erongo and //Karas are two of the regions that received a huge chunk of the national development budget to spend on key projects in the 2015/16 financial year.
Khomas Region received the largest portion of the budget, which will be used to upgrade the main roads leading into the capital city, the airports aviation systems and infrastructure, the railway network, as well as to construct head offices for various ministries and state-owned enterprises.
//Karas region has been allocated more than N$969 million, the lion’s share of which would go towards agricultural projects, the construction and upgrading of police offices and accommodation, as well as schools and road construction.
The land ministry allocated N$100 million for purchasing land in the region, while the agricultural ministry budgeted N$20 million for green schemes in the
//Karas region. This year’s allocation includes N$206 million for the construction of dams, and N$3 million for the construction of veterinary clinics.
The Ministry of Rural and Urban Development set aside N$85 million for the construction of service infrastructure in region. The money is to be spent on erecting basic service infrastructure at Aroab, Keetmanshoop, Tses, Koes, Bethanie, Berseba, Noordoewer, and Karasburg.
There is also an additional N$6 million for the establishment of a rural development centre in the region and N$5 million for the provision of basic sanitation. The Lüderitz Waterfront project received an additional N$5 million.
The safety and security ministry will spend nearly N$13,9 million this year on new police stations at Berseba and Karasburg, as well as accommodation facilities for police officers, while the defence ministry budgeted close to N$12 million for the construction of a base at Keetmanshoop and feasibility study designs for new military bases.
The ministry of education budgeted nearly N$13 million for the construction of a new combined school at Aussenkehr, as well as a new combined school in Oranjemund. Other expenditure would go towards the renovation of schools and the construction of teachers’ houses, as well as upgrading community hostels.
For the Khomas region, part of the N$2,7 billion allocated to development projects includes N$128 million that the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture will spend on constructing new secondary schools in Acacia, a secondary and a primary school in Havana, a secondary school in Otjomuise, houses for pre-primary teachers, as well as the construction of an examination marking hall in Windhoek.
A further N$5 million has been allocated to develop non-motorised transport infrastructure, money that the works and transport ministry, together with the City of Windhoek, would use to develop lanes for bicycles and anything on wheels, not powered by an engine, like foot-scooters.
Part of the Erongo Region’s N$1,02 billion development budget for this financial year is earmarked for spending on police patrol boats (N$20 million), the naval base at Walvis Bay (N$20,48 million), and the Karibib Airport Air Force Base (N$20,5 million).
The rural and urban development ministry has allocated more than N$187 million to spend on the continued construction of key service infrastructure at Omaruru, Arandis, Walvis Bay, and to start with the erection of new infrastructure at Usakos, Omatjete, Uis, Okombahe, Otjimbingue, Henties Bay and Karibib.
The region is also set to get a new regional office at a cost of N$15 million.
The basic education ministry budgeted N$32,2 million for a new secondary school in Walvis Bay, a new primary school in Swakopmund, teachers’ houses in the region, a new education circuit office in Walvis Bay, as well as the general renovation of schools and other education facilities in the region.