Brigitte Weidlich
29 October 2007
Windhoek — WATER costs might soon be subsidised by Government for poor Namibians in urban and rural areas once a new development plan kicks off, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development said.
Speaking at a four-day consultative conference on the country's third national five-year development plan (NDP3) over the weekend, Dr Nickey Iyambo said his Ministry made a recommendation that N$30 million a year be allocated to subsidise water payments for poor people living in the informal areas of proclaimed villages and towns.
"Another recommendation is to subsidise the cost of water with N$80 million in unproclaimed (rural) areas of the country each year, coming to N$400 million during the entire NDP3 period between 2008 to 2012.
However, our Ministry does not have the money, but the idea is to hold an investor conference after the development plan is finalised," Iyambo added.
About 450 representatives of Government, the private sector, regional councils and municipalities, churches and civil society attended the first three days of the consultative conference on the first draft of the new development plan.
Regional governors and mayors set side by side with diplomats, development partners and individuals and actively engaged in debate as the various sectors of the NDP3 were presented.
Even Government ministers sat among the audience, asked questions and gave input in other sectors not under their portfolio.
"We are amazed at the turnout right through Saturday and today (Sunday)," Helmut Angula, Director General of the Planning Commission (NPC) said yesterday afternoon.
The conference will wrap up today.
The theme of the NDP3 is 'Accelerating economic growth and deepening rural development' and the draft was prepared with support from France, Britain, the European Commission and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
"This is the first development plan to be prepared with an integrated result-based management approach that links its goals to the eight main objectives of Vision 2030," President Pohamba said at the opening of the conference on Friday.
"We are living in a rapidly changing world where we must be willing to change in order to adapt to new ways of doing things so that we can succeed and remain competitive."
However, broad-based development could not be achieved if a large section of the population remained poor, especially in rural areas, where about 60 per cent lived under difficult conditions, the Head of State cautioned.
"We cannot continue to ignore these harsh realities," Pohamba added.
"The NDP3 is or the whole nation, not just for Government," said Helmut Angula, Director General of the NPC.
"Although we could not bring the whole nation here, the big turnout of different stakeholders who are present here for the discussion of this first draft plan is very encouraging."
According to Prime Minister Nahas Angula, the implementation of the NDP3 will require huge resources for the 21 goals to be realised.
"Government will continue to work with Namibian and foreign private investors and our international development partners to mobilise the finances required to implement the Plan.
"We face many challenges and opportunities. Let us transform them into acceptable, implementable and achievable programmes that will result in the improvement of the lives of our people," the Prime Minister said.
The nation's first five-year national development plan was launched in I995, followed by the second one in 2001, which ran until 2006.
All 13 regions presented the outlines of their development goals, but the details have not been worked out yet.
The NDP fits into the eight objectives of Vision 2030, which aims to transform Namibia into an industrialised nation in 23 years' time.
The objectives are, among others, to have a competitive economy driven by a skilled labour force, reduced HIV-AIDS prevalence, excellent infrastructure and sustainable use of natural resources like water, land, the environment and fish species.
The objectives are split up into eight key result areas (KRAs) and 21 goals to be achieved by 2012 by different sectors like education, health, transport, mining, energy or education.
Officials from all line ministries made detailed presentations of the various sectors.
The final draft of the NDP3 is planned to be completed at the end of November.
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