Obrein Simasiku
Omuthiya-A storm over the weekend caused extensive damage to the administration block of the Oshikoto police headquarters in Omuthiya, causing some walls to collapse and parts of the building left hanging.
The building was not occupied as the designated occupants are still to be transferred from the Tsumeb office – a decentralisation exercise that would see the region’s police administrative functions in Oshikoto based in
Omuthiya. The exercise is scheduled for completion next month.
All lighting fixtures and electrical wiring, including the air-conditioning system, have been damaged as the ceiling of the building caved in.
The incident was confirmed by the regional commander Commissioner Armas Shivute, who said they are expecting engineers this week to evaluate the damage..
When New Era visited the site, ceiling rubble was scattered inside and outside the building, and electrical cables dangled from the roof amid the pile of bricks that had crumbled from the walls.
The building was obviously not safe as sections of the walls were seen tilting from their foundation, appearing to will fall over from the slightest vibration.
“At the moment one can not rule out that it was as a result of shoddy work, but we will wait for a detailed report once the engineers have concluded the assessment,” said Shivute. The costs of constructing the building have not yet been made public.