The much talked about upgrading of Okalongo settlement to a local authority is still on the cards, the Omusati chief regional officer Gervasius Kashindi said.

At this stage, the council is busy addressing the pending issues such as the oxidation ponds as well a reserve water dam to supply the settlement with water once there are water interruptions.

The upgrade will depend on the finalisation of the pending issues.

The line ministry has in the meantime recommended two viable approaches, that can be considered in upgrading the settlement to a local authority.

“There are two approaches indicated in the ministry’s report: one is to let the regional council finish everything or proclaim and let the local authority continue where the regional council ended just like it happened in Ruacana, Oshikuku, Okahao and Tsandi,” Kashindi said.

In the aforementioned areas, the challenges that faced the settlement at the time it was elevated were taken over by the local authority.

There are issues when putting up a local authority, such as putting up roads within the settlement area, water reticulation from erven to erven as well as sewer
reticulation.

At present, there are some parts of the town where there is no sewer network.

Currently, the region is now busy putting up a sewer pump station.

The council is also in the process of adding more oxidation ponds at the settlement in order to cease the overflow of sewerage water in the open space.

Although the regional council in recent years constructed new sewerage ponds at the settlement, they are not adequate for the town.

Kashindi said sustainability at the settlement is not an issue.

Okalongo, Okahao, Oshikuku and Ruacana were all declared settlements in 1997.

In addition to Okalongo, the Ogongo settlement is also expected to get a facelift.

A rural development centre is earmarked for the settlement.

The centre like many others across the region is expected to produce machinery, which will ease the work and increase the production of the region’s inhabitants.

The machinery at the centre will also be sold at an affordable price.

In terms of housing, Kashindi said although the demand is high at Ogongo, the settlement at present does not have the personnel to evaluate the plans.

But, Kashindi assured that the position will be advertised soon.

Kashindi said the challenge facing Ogongo, in the long run, is that the settlement does not have enough space for growth.

nashipala@nepc.com.na