John Muyamba
Nkurenkuru-Kavango West Regional Governor, Sirkka Ausiku has revealed that several government departments and agencies have heeded her impassioned plea to open offices in the newly proclaimed region.
Since she took up office in 2014, Ausiku has made a signature call to all government offices and agencies to open offices in the region to enable them to provide much needed services in Kavango West.
Ausiku made the remarks when she delivered her third State of the Region address in a packed community hall in Nkurenkuru yesterday (Tuesday).
“I have to report that government offices, ministries and agencies have responded positively to our call to set up offices in the (Kavango West) Region,” she said.
“We would like to thank the following O/M/As that have set up offices in Nkurenkuru during the 2016/17 Financial Year like the Office of Veterans Affairs, Ministry of Finance (Inland Revenue), Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration and the Namibia Statistic Agency (NSA).
“In addition, a Natis office by the Roads Authority and a Fish Consumption shop: the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources. We thank them for bringing services closer to the people.
“And I am once again appealing to other O/M/As to follow suit. This region cannot be served from Windhoek or other regions forever,” she said.
Financial institutions in the region still remained at only two, and she exhorted First National Bank of Namibia, AgriBank, the Development Bank of Namibia and Nedbank to also open branches in Nkurenkuru as people still travelled long distances to access their services.
“There are now two private clinics providing much needed health services in Nkurenkuru to our people,” Ausiku said in the State of the Region address.
Despite challenges faced by a region that is still very rural, Ausiku reported that the region was hard at work to transform itself into a more urbanised area.
“I am happy to announce that our region is going to host three important events in Nkurenkuru, which are the Nkurenkuru Expo from 28 June to 02 July, Africa Public Service Day from 05 to 06 July and National Mahangu Festival on 13 July 2017,” she added.
Her region would like government ministries and agencies to decentralise their functions because she wants them to serve the region’s inhabitants from the region, and not from Windhoek or other regions.
“We would like to appeal to all O/M/As not to divert funds earmarked for our region to other regions without proper consultation with the regional leadership.
“The region will continue to strengthen a good working relationship with all Offices, Ministries and Agencies and all stakeholders including investors in the region by holding regular stakeholders’ meetings,” Ausiku stressed.
“Currently our communities are being denied the most basic of services. Let’s all work together in the spirit of Harambee by rendering services to our people,” she reiterated.