Is Resettlement Sustainable?

THE list of resettlement claimants is growing.

The criteria used as "previously disadvantaged" is too broad.

The question is whether there is enough resettle-able land for

all the current and future Namibians.

 

Land never grows but population does and is.

 

Are we only empowering the current generations and forgetting

about what will happen to the future ones? Will there be land to be

bought and settled (free of charge) for our younger generations?

Who will bother buying a farm while there are those given to them

free? Is there not going to be war between the resettled families

and future landless families? Why does resettlement dominate the

Government agenda as if there are no other sustainable options? Why

do people have to be resettled (at all)? I think people need land

to improve their livelihoods.

 

The question remains will most of the beneficiaries be better

off? What will happen to the 6% GDP contribution? The N$1 billion

targeted for purchasing resettlement land is too much for

nothing.

 

Namibia has dynamic entrepreneurs who want to diversify this

economy by investing in manufacturing activities to replace most of

the imports that the country heavily depends on and also to broaden

the economy's tax base.

 

It is healthy for the Government to meet its challenges, but

could it not secure loans from our financial institutions.

 

The billion should be split to cover other priority areas,

mostly those that are creating employment opportunities for our

youth.

 

The Government should not only be putting pressure on commercial

farmers but also on private business to finance the SMEs -

especially the foreign owned companies who don't reinvest their

capital in Namibia but trade in the country.

 

A good empowerment program should encourage domestic

investment.

 

I think employment creation should be a priority here and its

solution would accelerate the public's confidence in Government,

rather than allocating expensive dry and often unproductive land to

the poor Namibians.

 

The Government is very quiet on this.

 

You need income to be able to survive on a small-scale

farming.

 

Land to me is not and has never been a big question.

 

Our politicians must get serious.

 

I don't believe land expropriation would add some political

score to the ruling party but rather aggravate the existing poverty

and create conflicts thereby sabotaging our fragile economy as

happened to our neighbour.

 

Resettlement programs should not be a political process but a

socio-economic programme with eyes on both spheres.

 

If the ruling party wants to rule forever, it should simply

facilitate the creation of employment opportunities.

 

Shikongeni Nanghambe

Swakopmund

 

The question is whether there is enough resettle-able land for all

the current and future Namibians.Land never grows but population

does and is.Are we only empowering the current generations and

forgetting about what will happen to the future ones? Will there be

land to be bought and settled (free of charge) for our younger

generations? Who will bother buying a farm while there are those

given to them free? Is there not going to be war between the

resettled families and future landless families? Why does

resettlement dominate the Government agenda as if there are no

other sustainable options? Why do people have to be resettled (at

all)? I think people need land to improve their livelihoods.The

question remains will most of the beneficiaries be better off? What

will happen to the 6% GDP contribution? The N$1 billion targeted

for purchasing resettlement land is too much for nothing.Namibia

has dynamic entrepreneurs who want to diversify this economy by

investing in manufacturing activities to replace most of the

imports that the country heavily depends on and also to broaden the

economy's tax base.It is healthy for the Government to meet its

challenges, but could it not secure loans from our financial

institutions.The billion should be split to cover other priority

areas, mostly those that are creating employment opportunities for

our youth.The Government should not only be putting pressure on

commercial farmers but also on private business to finance the SMEs

- especially the foreign owned companies who don't reinvest their

capital in Namibia but trade in the country.A good empowerment

program should encourage domestic investment.I think employment

creation should be a priority here and its solution would

accelerate the public's confidence in Government, rather than

allocating expensive dry and often unproductive land to the poor

Namibians.The Government is very quiet on this.You need income to

be able to survive on a small-scale farming.Land to me is not and

has never been a big question.Our politicians must get serious.I

don't believe land expropriation would add some political score to

the ruling party but rather aggravate the existing poverty and

create conflicts thereby sabotaging our fragile economy as happened

to our neighbour.Resettlement programs should not be a political

process but a socio-economic programme with eyes on both spheres.If

the ruling party wants to rule forever, it should simply facilitate

the creation of employment opportunities.Shikongeni Nanghambe

Swakopmund

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