I was very much disappointed to read information contained in the New Era editorial of Friday 21 June 2019.
I can definitely conclude that it was written by somebody with little knowledge or no understanding at all about the issue [of well deaths at Okatope].
If the author possesses any knowledge about this unfortunate event, it is probably what he/ she read in the media, which is utterly wrong and inaccurate.
You stated that the owner [of the well] wanted to have an alternative water source from that of the government. From where on earth did you get that notion? It’s completely a white lie to have reached such a conclusion. Like I said, it was probably based on the information mentioned in the media that in the vicinity there is water within 2 km, which was wrong as well.
According to the information you have articulated on in your editorial, you made it seem like there was no need to dig the well at all, and I reached a conclusion that you don’t even care about our brothers who lost their lives trying to serve their people but you only care about your government from losing support on the ground.
Let me tell you this, the information in newspapers is definitely not correct as it was supplied to the media by wrong individuals. If there is a robbery somewhere, you can obviously not rely on the robber to provide crucial information that will lead to his own arrest as is with government officials who supplied this information to the media.
My advice therefore is that in the future before publishing feeding the nation with wrong information, you should have used your office or position to gather correct information by sending an agent there to ask locals if there was really a need or not to dig a well and if there is government water supplies in the vicinity of the said well. Serve the masses not the elite and politicians.
Thank you
Trust Philips