Brigitte Weidlich
16 April 2008
Windhoek — Another N$95 million is to be poured into the construction of the new State House in the new financial year, but the total cost of the huge project will not yet be made public, Minister of Presidential Affairs Albert Kawana said yesterday.
Kawana was motivating the budget for the Office of the President in the National Assembly. "I inform the nation that the final cost of the project will only be known when all issues pertaining to the project have been sorted out.
These include the expropriation of certain private properties and the finalisation of negotiations regarding municipal land on which the new State House is located. As previously stated, this is a transparent Government, we have absolutely nothing to hide regarding this matter," he said.
"We will inform the nation about the total cost once outstanding issues have been sorted out. What I can, however, inform the nation at the moment is that the Government has thus far spent N$383 311 800. "It should be pointed out that within this programme, N$95,4 million is provided in the new budget. This figure is to cover landscaping, furniture and equipment at the residence, water purification, retention fees, possible purchase of land, and occupational rent for 18 undeveloped plots," Kawana said. According to estimates by well-placed building experts, the cost is closer to N$1 billion, The Namibian reliably learnt last week. Kawana further revealed that N$15,5 million will go to the construction of a new office for former President Sam Nujoma.
The remaining N$5,2 million of the total N$20,7 million budget for Nujoma is for his monthly pension, the running of his office and his household. The National Intelligence Agency will receive N$79,7 million The total vote for the President's Office is N$253,4 million.
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