KATIMA MULILO – Zambezi governor Lawrence Sampofu believes there will be a positive outcome from the sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), arguing it will address the needs and plight of his community.

In his welcoming remarks read on his behalf by Kabbe South Constituency councillor John Likando at the NDP6 consultation meeting last Thursday, Sampofu acknowledged that NDP5 had lots of challenges and setbacks. He thus urged both the regional and local authorities and the public to actively participate in the interaction, and bring the desired development to the region through the new plan.

“Our infrastructure are to be developed in order to create employment. The Zambezi Tourism Waterfront is there, and we hoped it would create job opportunities, but now it’s turning into a white elephant,” said Sampofu.

Chief Executive Officer and Focal Point of the African Peer Review Mechanism office in Namibia, Ambassador Lineekela Mboti, argued that Namibia “has good plans from NDP1 to NDP5, but implementation is the challenge.”

“We must tell ourselves the truth; we are failing to implement our plans. Yes, there are resources challenges and inadequate funding, but we still need to implement our plans,” he stated.

Mboti said as the mantra goes on inclusivity, indeed no one should be left out in the formulation and benefiting from the plan.

National Planning Commission deputy advisor Habani Munyungano said the main reason the NPC was in the Zambezi region was to engage in extensive consultations with everyone – from the well-informed man to the grassroots level.

“The findings show that there is a high unemployment rate among the youth, which needs urgent attention. Our own youth, we need to take care of them. We are mandated to plan on their behalf; we need to get them access to health facilities and basic needs,” he added.

The NDP6 is a six-year plan which will cover the period 2025-2031.

-Nampa