Keetmanshoop
The chairperson of Hardap Regional Council (HRC) has dismissed as untrue allegations that the council has stopped the provision of drought relief in the region.
Reacting to the allegations HRC chairperson Edward Wambo said any information suggesting the programme has been stopped temporarily is news to him.
He says he is unaware of any such a move by the council and insists the programme was never stopped. “I’m not aware that the programme has been stopped. The people are currently busy distributing to all constituencies of the region,” he said.
Some local residents who spoke to New Era suspected that the regional council temporarily put the programme on hold, saying the council is replacing four trucks belonging to private companies, that are being used to deliver the aid, with government trucks.
Some sources were worried the process could lead to job losses, while people heavily dependent on drought relief food from the programme could face starvation.
“There are people out there that depend solely on the drought relief food. Where will they get something to eat if the programme is stopped for a while?” said one concerned resident, who requested anonymity.
Axab Skrywer, an administrative officer at HRC, put the record straight. He said the programme was never stopped and will not be stopped, unless the region gets such directives from the Office of the Prime Minister.
He said any information to the effect that the drought relief programme was put on hold is untrue, adding that HRC did not replace the private companies’ trucks, but got two additional trucks to speed up the distribution process.
“We didn’t change any contractors. We didn’t stop any programme. It will continue until the Office of the Prime Minister says so,” he emphasised.