By Nuusita Ashipala
ONGWEDIVA – Although the area earmarked for the 50 mass houses for phase one was cleared in February last year, one year later mass housing in Omuthiya remains a dream that hasn’t come true because there is still no contractor on site.
However, corporate communications and marketing manager at the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) Eric Libongani assured the public the contractor is expected to begin with construction next month.
According to Libongani the delays experienced at Omuthiya are a result of the changes made to the original housing plans as per council’s request to have bigger three-bedroom houses at the 50 plots earmarked for phase one of the mass housing scheme.
He said this exercise was completed towards the end of last year.
“Delays experienced at the Omuthiya mass housing project are mainly because of house plan changes that were made to the original ones; these developments came into effect consequent to the request by the Omuthiya Town Council that bigger three-bedroom NHE products would be more appropriate for construction on the 50 plots earmarked for phase 1 of mass housing in the town,” related Libongani.
The council’s request to amend the initial house plan was received positively by the mass housing implementer, which saw the resubmission of new housing plans for the council to approve.
“It should be noted this process may have a bearing on other factors that have an impact on the actual construction of the houses that can affect the whole process,” recounted Libongani.
The chief executive officer of the Omuthiya Town Council Samuel Mbango said the town is ready to receive the 50 houses earmarked for phase 1.
Similarly, it has also fully serviced a residential area of 200 erven earmarked for mass housing phase 2.
Mbango related that housing remains a challenge in the town because many of the Oshikoto regional offices are expected to move to the region’s capital in future.
Some of the offices are the Oshikoto education directorate as well as the police headquarters that has already assumed with the construction of its offices and accommodation facilities.
With such a huge number of staff expected to relocate to the town, council is optimistic the mass housing scheme will aid in alleviating the challenge.
Similarly, Mbango said that there are at least four to six houses constructed monthly in town.
The construction of mass housing is foreseen to give the town a new facelift.
Similarly, with more people expected to relocate, the council can only anticipate that it will boost business and attract investors.
Mbango said while the contractor is expected to bring along qualified people to work on the construction of mass housing, council remains optimistic the unskilled and semi-skilled labourers will be taken from the Omuthiya community to empower the local community.