UIS – Minister of Urban and Rural Development Erastus Uutoni has reiterated his call for unity among local and regional authority leaders to ensure effective service delivery to residents.
During the inauguration of the Uis settlement office on Wednesday, he called out local government leaders who are hindering development and economic growth due to their inability to work together because of their political affiliations.
“Clashing with each other will never yield development. Unity in any given community is key because while you are busy beefing with each other, you are using up the time you were supposed to utilise to work together, and develop your communities.
When you go to other communities
that are developed, you assume that government is giving them more funds than you, which is not the case. People are just united,” the minister said.
Uutoni further applauded the Erongo Regional Council for its sound leadership, management and dedication that yielded tangible results, such as the new settlement office.
“This is the setup we would like to see, whereby regional councils respond to the developmental needs of our people to steer a change in the service delivery cycle,” he said.
The N$11.7 million building was constructed from the accruals of the 5% contribution the settlement collects for the regional council.
Erongo governor Neville Andre Itope noted that the construction of the office attests to the government’s commitment to decentralisation, finalisation of capital projects and bringing services closer to the people.
Andre also called for collaboration amongst private, public and community entities, and support to create sustainable economic development in Uis in order for it to grow from a settlement to a village.
“The opening of Andrada Tin Mine and its commitment to improving community relations and support to create sustainable development, along with the tourism recovery around Uis and government’s support to bring much-needed services to the settlement, are all indications that this settlement is destined for growth,” the governor said.
Uis has over
3 600 inhabitants and, was downgraded from
a village to settlement in 2010.
-Nampa