Ongwediva
The dilapidated state of the road from Ondangwa to Uukwiyu-Uushona Constituency in Oshana Region has turned into a nightmarish experience for motorists using the road.
The road, said to have been constructed between 1995 and 1998, is completely worn out.
Motorists face the risk of getting stuck on the now sandy gravel road, which has a lot of gaping potholes.
Motorists have also created own side roads to access basic services at the nearest town of Ondangwa.
Uukwiyu-Uushona Constituency Councillor Andreas Amundjindi said he is aware of the motorists’ plight and sympathised with the community.
According to Amundjindi his office on several occasions attempted to intervene but to no avail.
Amundjindi added that while the gravel road was expected to be rehabilitated once a week, or at least once every two weeks, it was only rehabilitated twice a year.
This year, the gravel road was only rehabilitated in February and at the end of June.
Last year, the road was only rehabilitated in July and again in September when the councillor pleaded with the Road Contractor Company (RCC) to do something.
The councillor said that a program was in place to add stones to the gravel road between June and September last year, but the program was not implemented.
The same was scheduled for this year to add stones to at least 4.5 km of the 35 km each month between June and September, but this was also not done.
Amundjindi said he has engaged the relevant ministry, but since all government tenders have been frozen, the Ministry of Works and Transport has indicated to his office that its hands are tied at the moment.
“I have done what I could in my capacity as councillor. I have engaged RCC on various platforms, but they have not come to our aid. They indicated they are having problems that have not been specified,” said the councillor.
The councillor further said he is aware of the situation and the messages that have been appearing in a local daily.
“The people who have been sending the messages are right, the road is really bad. We at the constituency level do not have to rehabilitate them but we have engaged the relevant authorities in vain,” said the councillor.