NamPower has electrified 1000 households in 10 peri-urban areas on the outskirts of Windhoek to the tune of N$22 million, contributing to the betterment of the communities in these areas.
The project by the national power utility provided light to some areas of Okahandja Park, Kilimanjaro, Babylon, Havana, Ongulumbashe and Otjomuise (Extensions 6 and 7).
At Friday’s project inauguration, vice president Nangolo Mbumba said in a speech read on his behalf by urban and rural development minister Erastus Uutoni that the Namibian population is growing and people are migrating to the city, causing “one of the country’s biggest developmental challenges as it brings with it socio-economic pressures on the resources of the City of Windhoek as well as Government”.
“Most households do not benefit from the rural electrification programmes due to their proximity to towns. This is evident in that we are faced with a number of challenges that require urgent intervention,” Mbumba said.
The Vice President added that the social progression pillar, under the Harambee Prosperity Plan II, has a people-centred approach that aims to ensure an improved quality of life for all Namibians. The country is also committed to the 17 United Nations Social Development Goals (SDGs), while the world as we know it is rapidly progressing towards achieving Goal 7 of the access to affordable and clean energy.
Speaking at the inauguration, deputy chairperson of the NamPower board of directors Martha Mbombo said electricity serves as the basis for meeting essential human needs such as food production, clean water, sanitation, education, healthcare
and social services.
“Investing greatly into projects that benefit the masses who did not previously have access to such basic rights is very essential to NamPower,” she noted.
Mbombo added that access to electricity for all Namibians is embodied in all the economic and social development goals of the country such as Vision 2030, the National Development Goals, as well as the second phase of the Harambee Prosperity Plan II (HPP II).
Meanwhile, NamPower managing director Kahenge Haulofu said a project development and transfer agreement on the electrification of peri-urban areas was signed between NamPower and the City of Windhoek on 28 May 2020.
“The scope of work for the electrification of 1000 households included the construction of medium to low voltage networks, the installation of streetlights and individual household connections, including DB boards [distribution boards] and prepaid meters,” he explained. On his part as the primary project beneficiary, Windhoek mayor Job Amupanda said “the assistance to the City of Windhoek happens in terms of the planned programme of the city, which is going to electrify 4000 households, of which 3000 is complete. He highlighted the targeted number of project recipients as 100 connections for Babylon, 200 connections for Havana extension 1, 100 connections for Havana extension 3, for Okahandja Park 200 connections, 100 connections for Ongulumbashe while Otjomuise extension 6 and 7 will receive 200 connections.
“The planning and design of the project aligns with the municipality’s five-year electrification project,” Amupanda added.