Okahandja has set the wheels in motion to restore its status as the ‘Garden Town’ after it was announced the town’s municipality has set aside N$25 million for the commissioning of a new dumpsite.
The past eight years or so have seen residents of Okahandja making peace with rubbish-scarred streets and an overflowing dumping site, which has become redundant.
In almost all locations, the streets are awash with a sea of papers, bottles, boxes and other waste materials, which has become an eyesore for any visitor to the town. Speaking to New Era, the town’s mayor Kauna Fillemon said the municipality has taken giant steps to ensure the littered streets become a thing of the past, and that the town returns to its glory days when it was known as the ‘Garden Town’.
“At council level, we have really been busy working hard to address all these problems. Dumping has been a serious issue here at the town – and that’s why we are now investing about N$25 million in the construction and commissioning of a new dumpsite. It is all aimed at returning our town to its glory days as one of the cleanest towns in Namibia.
The location of the new dumpsite will soon be announced, but residents must be patient with us, as good things are coming,” said the mayor.
“The old dumpsite will be decommissioned. The commissioning of a new dumpsite means that we, as the town’s residents, must take it upon ourselves to ensure the streets are clean, and that no dumping takes place in residential areas. Many people and international visitors travel past our town every day when going to their various destinations – and for our town to look the way it looks is not nice at all. But we will soon get things right. There is a lot we are doing behind the scenes – and very soon, Okahandja will return to its glory days,” she said.
The municipality has also allocated N$24 million for land delivery acceleration, including the connection of water and sewerage construction at both Ekunde Extension 4 and 5.
“Electricity is coming to Ekunde – and just recently, we handed over 33 houses. I want to urge more of our people to join the Shack Dwellers’ Federation to benefit from these low-cost houses. We have not turned our backs on our people. It is just that resources are scarce but whenever we get something, we always make sure the people benefit – and all these interventions are part of our ongoing efforts to uplift the living standards of the residents,” she added.
Meanwhile, in his recent State of the Region address (Sora), Otjozondjupa regional governor James Uerikua also announced the construction of dumping sites at other localities, such as at Okandjira in Ovitoto; the installation of water infrastructure services at Gam, Dinosdal and Kalkfeld, as well as the upgrading and lining of sewerage ponds at Okondjatu and Okamatapati.
“Most municipalities in the region are engaging in smart partnerships to ensure maximised land delivery. Otjiwarongo municipality partnered with Development Workshop Namibia to develop 483 plots for low-income earners. Otjiwarongo is also involved in the informal settlement upgrading and formalisation to ensure the flexible land tenure system that enables residents to have security of tenure of land.
“At Otjiwarongo, 104 plots were also allocated to the Shack Dwellers’ Federation. Otavi has budgeted N$13 million for infrastructure development related to land delivery, while Okakarara envisages to develop a total of 1 478 plots,” shared the governor.
- ohembapu@nepc.com.na