ONDANGWA - Ondangwa Town Council spokesperson Petrina Shitalangaho-Mutikisha said all residents with overdue accounts will receive interest-free municipal services for a period of one year, starting from October 2023.
The spokesperson made the remarks on Friday, mentioning that the waiver period will last until September 2024.
Shitalangaho-Mutikisha said this is being done with the aim of encouraging residents to settle their accounts without any difficulties.
Currently, Ondangwa residents owe the council N$85 million in municipal services.
“The council’s debts have increased rapidly due to the economic downturn, coupled with the severe effects of the coronavirus. Some residents have lost their income and employment, limiting their purchasing power and ability to pay their municipal services in full,” she noted.
The global economic slump has likewise severely affected economic development activities, resulting in the closure of some local business establishments, which also influenced the decision.
Shitalangaho-Mutikisha stated that this programme is applicable to all account holders classified as domestic (residential), commercial (business and industrial), non-profit organisations, community-based organisations, churches, and private institutions.
However, this is not applicable to government Offices, Ministries and Agencies (OMAs), including State-owned enterprises.
She stressed that this is not the first time that the council is bringing a relief programme to its residents. In the 2021/2022 financial year and during the sixth Ordinary Council meeting in 2021, the council exempted people for a period of 12 months in informal areas from paying connection fees for sewerage and water.
Shitalangaho-Mutikisha emphasised that this was done to help residents who were hard-hit by the pandemic and the negative economic conditions associated with it, whereby some residents were retrenched, and others’ salaries reduced.
-Nampa