Elizabeth Hiyolwa
NKURENKURU – Kavango West governor Sirrka Ausiku has called for the review of the compensation policy used by local and regional council authorities to compensate landowners who pave way for development.
“We would really appreciate it if the issue of compensation can be addressed because Nkurenkuru used to be a village, and many people lived here.
For them to pave way for development, they need to be compensated,” she pleaded this week during the handover of residential plots to locals.
She applauded those residents who sacrificed their land to the town council to allow for the commencement of developments while still awaiting their payments.
“We are happy for those who are willing to give us the area for development while they are waiting to be compensated,” she reiterated.
Nkurenkuru mayor Jafet Muti said during his acceptance speech after his re-election that the limited budget that they receive from the line ministry makes it difficult to fulfill some of their duties, such as the issue of compensation for the inhabitants.
“We are appealing for central government to at least avail some extra funds for the compensation of those we took land from for development purposes,” Muti stressed.
Minister of urban and rural development Erastus Uutoni argued here that development can be both good and bad at the same time.
However, he agreed that residents need to be fairly compensated for their land. “The ministry will try its level best to ensure that there is provision made for the compensation of community members who gave over their land for development purposes for generations to come,” he said.
He further called on local authorities to engage communities to ensure they have an understanding of all compensation options available when approached by town councils.