ITSAWISIS -To expand rural electrification in the Berseba constituency, the mines and energy ministry and the electricity utility NamPower  has ensured that 98 households and two boreholes have access to electricity.

Deputy minister of mines and energy Kornelia Shilunga  said Berseba has the potential to transform from what was once an isolated, struggling community into a model of resilience and self-sufficiency. 

“It is up to the people of Itsawisis to seize this opportunity and shape their own success story,” she said.

She was speaking to the beneficiaries and other stakeholders last week during the official inauguration of electrification projects at the settlement. 

Shilunga said rural-urban migration is one of the factors reshaping the country’s electrification needs, as towns and peri-urban areas require accelerated electrification. 

“That is why, for the 2025/26 financial year, we have allocated N$12 million for electrification to the Hardap and //Kharas regions for electrification,” she noted. 

She said the ministry does more than just turning on lights.

They ignite possibilities, enable communities to grow, and build and prosper. Shilunga urged the Itsawisis community to use this opportunity wisely, work together, create businesses and build asustainablefuture. In her welcoming remarks, read on her behalf by Member of Parliament-elect Gaudentia Kröhne, //Kharas regional governor Aletha Frederick said electricity is not merely a utility, but a fundamental human right which plays a crucial role in fostering development. 

“Access to electricity empowers both individuals and communities, enabling them to enhance their livelihoods, pursue educational opportunities, improve healthcare services and create jobs. By providing a reliable supply of electricity, we not only elevate living standards, but also mitigate the rural-urban migration that often occurs in search of better opportunities,” she noted. 

Frederick expressed her heartfelt appreciation to NamPower for their commendable gesture in allowing the governor’s office the opportunity to identify at least two or three locations annually for consideration in the provision of electricity. 

“Looking ahead, I would like to mention that we have submitted additional locations for consideration in future projects, namely Kameelrivier, Nuweput and Swartwater,” she said.