Keetmanshoop
People from various sectors yesterday turned up at the one-day //Karas regional consultative dialogue on wealth redistribution and poverty eradication to share their views on how to tackle poverty.
The Deputy Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, Priscilla Boois, and the //Karas Regional Governor Lucia Basson led the dialogue at the Keetmanshoop stadium municipality hall in Westdene.
In her opening remarks the //Karas governor said that “backed by statistical evidence” she was unhappy that the region with the smallest population and most resources is being affected by poverty.
“It pains me very much knowing that //Karas is the richest region in natural resources, but with the smallest population and having among the poorest citizens in the country.”
Basson outlined that the region does not benefit as much as it should from its rich resources and this needs to change.
She highlighted that the region is gifted with natural resources such as alluvial gold, diamonds, iron and zinc and is home to the country’s largest mining activities.
She added that in addition to mining, the Orange River, Naute Dam and Neckartal Dam – the latter still under construction – offer much for agricultural activities, but it’s up to companies that benefit from these resources to plough back to the communities.
“I can confess to you that if we stand together as stakeholders we can reduce poverty in //Karas to one percent,” she stated.
She called on the mining, fishing and agricultural sectors in the region that make huge profits in excess of millions from the resources of the //Karas people to invest in the region’s infrastructural development, especially education and health.
This, she said, would ensure poverty is eradicated in the long run, as she believes when a person is educated there are limited chances of that person being poor in the future.
She further urged village councils to get rid of the bucket system and write off debts of pensioners and the deceased, saying that it’s not right that this is happening to the Namibian people 25 years after independence.
She encouraged delegates at the meeting not only to bring problems but possible solutions to the problems they face in order to eradicate poverty.
The meeting was attended by various regional leaders, the youth and traditional and church leaders.