Kuzeeko Tjitemisa
Windhoek-The Minister of Urban and Rural Development says the responsibility and burden of housing and urban land provision cannot be left to the government alone, but requires concerted efforts by both the public and private sector.
Sophia Shaningwa made this remark yesterday during the handing over of a cheque of N$140,770 collected through the Land-A-Dollar campaign, launched in August 2015 by Unam student leaders.
The Land-A-Dollar campaign, supervised by PricewaterhouseCoopers, collected a total of just over N$235,000 of which
N$93,813 was paid to Easy Advertising for services rendered.
Shaningwa expressed profound gratitude to the management and Students Representative Council of the University of Namibia for the noble gesture of partnership and the generous campaign and contribution.
“It is my conviction that the housing challenge is not insurmountable if we, government, the private sector and the community pool our resources and efforts and develop inclusive, equitable and innovative strategies, such as this initiative,” said the outgoing minister.
She said while inadequate access to housing and urban land is a challenge, it can, as evident from the gathering, be an opportunity – a factor of unity of purpose and collective action, investment by the government, the private sector and the entire community.
Shaningwa said the availability of affordable serviced land in both urban and rural areas is a critical prerequisite for meeting the country’s national goal in providing decent housing and addressing the prevalent undesirable phenomenon of informal settlements, as well as for business investment and economic development.
Shaningwa said President Hage Geingob is continuously rallying and reminding the nation about the centrality and importance of unity and inclusivity in the preservation of the country’s hard won peace and independence – in order to bring about accelerated development and prosperity for all.
Shaningwa assured Unam’s SRC and management that their generous contribution will be put to good use and be added to the other resources earmarked for land servicing and towards making a visible difference in the lives of those still struggling to find a place to call home.
On her part, Unam dean of students Margareth Mainga extended her sincere gratitude and appreciation to all institutions and individuals who joined forces to make the campaign a success.
She singled out New Era Publication Corporation (NEPC) for sponsoring free advert strips, Easy Advertising, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Nampost and the police.