Before independence, the area that forms Oshikoto region today was defined by a large rural area that had only one town – Tsumeb.
After 33 years of the country’s independence, two more fully-fledged local authorities and four settlements have been established.
The local authorities are Tsumeb, Omuthiya and Oniipa, while the settlements include Onayena, Oshivelo and Tsintsabis.
Oshikoto’s chief regional officer Christella Mwenyo said today there are numerous ministries in the region, which means services are brought closer to the people.
She said after 33 years of independence, the region has also improved in areas such as housing development through various housing programmes.
Rural sanitation and rural electrification have also greatly improved in Oshikoto region.
Mwenyo informed the region has 223 schools, of which 18 are secondary schools, 95 are combined schools, 90 are primary schools and 19 are junior primary schools, which ensures every child has access to education.
“In terms of land delivery, I can proudly say the majority of people in the Oshikoto region have a place to call home now, as many people have been resettled,” she stressed.
She also said these roads have been constructed since independence: Onandjokwe-Eenhana tarred road, Tsumeb-Tsintsabis tarred road, Onathige-Okankolo tarred road, Onethindi-Olukonda tarred road, Olukonda-Oshipala gravel road, Oshali-Empumbu gravel road, Onyati-Onkumbula gravel road, Elambo-Onamishu gravel road, Oshigambo-Ondombe gravel road, Omuthiya-Onanke-Omuntele gravel road, Engoyi-Omuntele gravel road and Onayena-Omahenge gravel road.
“The region has 20 clinics, two private hospitals, Onandjokwe Intermediate hospital, Omuthiya district hospital and the Tsumeb district hospital, which allow people to access medical services,” Mwenyo said.
She added rural sanitation and electrification has also greatly improved in Oshikoto region and network towers have been erected; most of the villages are connected.
“Although unemployment is one of the most pressing issues in the region, our people are trying to make strides through agricultural-based income generating projects. The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, as well as Okashana Rural Development centre have programmes in place that assisted our people to learn best agricultural practices,” she added.
According to Mwenyo, different programmes, such as seed subsidies, weeding, national horticulture support and livestock marketing, have been put in place to assist people in doing agriculture, which helped them develop their own jobs and employ more people in our region.
She also added the biggest challenges currently facing the region are concerning infrastructures development.
Most specifically, lack of road and water infrastructures are critical challenges not only affecting the inhabitants but also slowing down the regional economic development.