Anna Ingwafa
21 August 2008
Omuthiya — President Hifikepunye Pohamba officially inaugurated the Oshikoto Regional Head Office building that cost N$22 million at Omuthiya.
Large numbers of people started streaming to the ceremony as early as 06h00 to witness the event that will see Omuthiya become a regional capital of Oshikoto.
The President said the opening of Oshikoto Regional Head Office is testimony of Swapo Party Government's decision to expand infrastructure and bring social and economic development to all parts of the country.
And that this is consistent with the strategy to bring public services to the grassroots through the decentralisation policy.
"In executing that mandate, the Swapo Party Government has embarked upon various development programmes in all sectors of our economy. These are aimed at accelerating socio-economic development and the well-being of all citizens," said Pohamba.
He outlined several capital projects in the Oshikoto Region that have been identified as priority areas.
The projects include the Oshivelo-Omutse gwOnime-Okankolo water pipeline as well as the building of schools, clinics and hospitals.
He said the construction of a new school at Onashikuvu in the Omuthiya constituency was started with the support of the government of China and a new hospital would be built also with the support of China.
Seven agricultural extension offices have also been built at various points such as Onankali, Omutele, Oshigambo, Onayena, Okashana and Guinas.
Government has facilitated the resurrection of the old TCL by the Ongopolo Mininig and Processing Limited.
"This mine is now up and running and is contributing immensely to the economic development of our country. The Swapo Party Government has facilitated various economic developments in this region. These initiatives include the Ondundu Community Development Project in Tsumeb, which is aimed at empowering women to sustain them and generate their own income," he noted.
On transport infrastructure, Pohamba said the Tsumeb-Oshikango Railway Extension Project is one such transport link aimed at facilitating trade and commerce within Namibia and other countries in the SADC region.
All the programmes that the Government executes are in line with the party election manifesto of 2004 as endorsed by the Cabinet as an important guiding tool according the Head of State.
He emphasised that the decision to relocate the regional council office from Tsumeb to Omuthiya was taken after broad consultations involving many stakeholders.
"This development is in line with the overall strategy to ensure balanced socio-economic develop provision of public services in an efficient and effective manner as well as the expansion of infrastructure, especially to areas where they did not exist in the past."
Pohamba noted that development of Omuthiya as the regional capital will have many benefits to the residents of the Oshikoto Region and it will result in the creation of new employment opportunities as service providers such as banks, retailers and medical practitioners move in to establish themselves in the town. The development of Omuthiya will relieve the migration burden on the town of Tsumeb, which is the only fully developed town in the Oshikoto Region.
"The development of Omuthiya will reduce the long distance that the majority of the residents of the Oshikoto Region had to travel in order to access service rendered by the regional council. Geographically, Omuthiya is more centrally located and is therefore more easily accessible to the residents of Oshikoto".
He added that for many years, the residents of Oshikoto, especially those in the central parts of the region had to travel long distances to access services such as banking or shopping. Either they had to travel to Tsumeb or to Ondangwa.
"I trust that this difficult choice will become a thing of the past as the growth of Omuthiya will be able to offer those services."
Another part of development at Omuthiya, the Regional Council has facilitated the construction of the Offices of Omuthiya Town Council and a warehouse worth of N$8 million. These facilities are fully furnished and only await the election of the town council next month.
He calls upon the inhabitants to cast their votes wisely and vote for the capable candidates that will bring development to the town.
He called upon local and foreign investors to invest in Omuthiya as a gateway to both southern and northern Namibia.
It could also serve as a strategic base to conduct business with neighbouring countries such as Angola, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
He assured the people that the Government is continuing to invest resources in order to provide quality services to all the people in all parts of the country.
"Here in Oshikoto investments have been made in education, health, transport and communication, agriculture, tourism and other sectors. Efforts are also underway to undress the challenges of youth unemployment through community development projects such as COSDEC at Ondangwa and Tsumeb.
Similar efforts are being made in other parts of the country," he stated.
In the near future, Pohamba said Omuthiya would witness the construction of silos, which will be used to store surplus harvest of mahangu and other crops in line with the strategy to improve food security in the country. He encouraged local farmers to produce more food to ensure that the country can feed itself and to reduce food imports.
He urged the Oshikoto Regional Council to rededicate itself to quality service delivery and continue to guide and direct the development of the town and the region as a whole. Pohamba also called upon the inhabitants of the Oshikoto Region to utilise the office.
Governors from as far as the Hardap, Kavango, Caprivi, Erongo, Oshana and Omusati regions and various Government ministers and members of parliament witnessed the opening ceremony.
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