Omuthiya Town Council mayor Johannes Ndeutepo is blaming the government’s poor budget allocation for the lack of development at the town.
Ndeutepo says since Omuthiya was proclaimed a town in 2007, no government budget has been allocated for the development of the town.
The mayor said this while giving an update on the infrastructural development at the town to the parliamentary standing committee on transport, infrastructure and housing at Omuthiya on Friday. The committee is visiting the Oshikoto, Omusati, Ohangwena and Kavango West regions to assess the status of roads until Friday. “We were proclaimed as a town and as a regional capital, but there has not been a specific deliberate budget to develop the town,” Ndeutepo said. He said Omuthiya is a new town and does not have much infrastructure. “This is a challenge to Omuthiya town, because there was no existing infrastructure before we were proclaimed a town,” he said. According to the mayor, there has been no state funding for infrastructure upgrading since 2007. “Infrastructure enables services to be brought closer to the people. This is the centre of a seriously underdeveloped region where there are no roads, not even a specific one,” Ndeutepo said. Ndeutepo said Omuthiya is known for issues relating to sanitation in terms of the town’s dumpsite. “Until today, there is not even a single cent from the government, despite requests for funds to be made available, to deal with this health issue,” he said. He said the Omuthiya Town Council has made several appeals of which some include council being willing to use its own funds for development, but these budgets have not been approved by the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development. “We do not know why they are not being approved,” Ndeutepo said.
POOR WATER SUPPLY
The mayor also informed the committee that the town is on the receiving end of a NamWater pipeline, making it difficult for the town to have a constant supply of water. “Almost every week, if not every day, there is a notice from NamWater, saying they are unable to provide water,” he said. Ndeutepo said the town has no reservoirs to store water for long periods and residents, through the town council, have decided to build a water reservoir of 1 300 cubic metres. “This is because there is no state funding for such a project. This project will cost residents N$6,7 million,” the mayor said.
‘NOT TRUE’
Deputy urban and rural development minister Natalia /Goagoses says the mayor’s allegations are not true, since the ministry has always allocated a developmental budget for Omuthiya. “Omuthiya is one of the fastest-growing towns in our country. You cannot compare it to Usakos or Karibib. They cannot say that,” she said. /Goagoses said the town has grown due to assistance from the regional government since independence. “Today, Omuthiya is the capital city of Oshikoto region. I agree that we have competing priorities, but Omuthiya has benefited enormously from the ministry budget,” she said. She said the ministry has given Omuthiya enough funds to ensure the town’s development. “They must make their own money now, instead of just relying on the government. Through rates and taxes, selling plots and all that. The management must sharpen up and get ways to make money,” she said. /Goagoses said the issue of the dumpsite has not reached the ministry’s offices. “I think we need to investigate that. But I will intervene tomorrow,” she said. /Goagoses called on all towns to find ways of increasing their revenue and become independent.
