Walvis Bay Urban constituency councillor Deriou Benson says the very future of Namibia is at stake because of a lack of housing.
Delivering his maiden speech in the National Council last week, Benson said the current backlog on providing decent housing has reached a critical level.
“Many a young boy and girl have died an untimely death in shack fires, and countless youths have dropped out of school due to poor living conditions. We can no longer deny the reality by looking the other way. The dignity of our people must be restored,” he stressed.
He added that the provision of affordable housing, water, sanitation and electricity
should shine through as a direct benefit to the people, deriving from the proper management of the numerous resources
the country has been blessed with.
According to Besnson, leaders should see to it that they uphold these standards, and in so doing draw the attention of foreign investors to Namibia’s shores.
“As our country is rich in natural resources, it is our duty to search for and effectively manage foreign investments to the benefit of the nation,” he noted.
He said the tangible results of the benefits from foreign investment should be the testimony coming from the mouths of the people at the very grassroots of the nation.
Furthermore, Benson indicated that the health sector is an urgent matter in the country. The current facilities are inadequate in achieving effective service delivery in the spectrum of the health ministry all over Namibia, he continued.
He thus urged the government to take the lead by allocating a sufficient budget to the health ministry to allow for the upgrading of current as well as the erection of new health and institutional facilities where necessary.
Benson also advised the government not to hold back in investing in the development of the youth as future leaders of the nation.