Helvy Shaanika
Oshikango-Helao Nafidi Town Council has implemented projects at a total cost of about N$268.9 millions over the past seven years, including housing and roads infrastructure and other urban developmental projects that were carried and funded by the town council itself, the local governments and various state-owned enterprises.
Addressing the community of Helao Nafidi at Oshikango, Urban and Rural Development Minister Sophia Shaningwa said the central government funded projects worth N$219 million, of which N$35.9 million was spent on road infrastructure, N$34.5 million on water and sanitation infrastructure, N$3.7 million on electrification, N$11.5 million on storm water channels and N$346 000 on land surveying.
N$4.2 million will be spent on a new fire station. The larger chunk of the funds was spent in the ongoing construction of the modern effluent treatment plant, which cost the state N$145 million. Construction of the plant with the capacity to process and treat waste and floodwater is 95 percent complete, Shaningwa said.
Apart from the state, the border local authority also invested N$43 million into the construction of 70 houses at Engela, Omafo and Ohangwana; N$57 million on the open market that was officially opened last Saturday; N$5.7 million on the construction of Helalo Nafidi Trades Expo Centre, and N$8.9 million on town planning.
“For a town to develop, and a council to avail economic infrastructures, town planning has to be seriously taken into account. The council is therefore carrying out the establishment of 16 extensions to avail 4,063 erven in all five suburbs of the town,” Shaningwa said.
She further maintained that many of the erven in the business, institutional and governmental zones were also included in the planned erven. She said plans for the establishment of 16 extensions were submitted to the Namibia Planning Advisory Board (NAMPAB), while others are already with the township board.
Apart from the council and government funding, Helao Nafidi also received funding of over N$5.9 million from the Road Fund Administration towards the upgrading of roads, as well as N$1.5 million from Nored for the electrification of Oshikango, Ekango laHamulenge and Onhuno.