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Confusion blocks Kavango food aid

Confusion blocks Kavango food aid

QUESTIONABLE data on the number of those who need drought food relief in the Kavango Region has stalled the distribution of aid.

This has now led to a decision by the Regional Office to verify the aid application forms and, if necessary, re-register potential beneficiaries. Last year, 52 000 households were deemed to be in need of aid, according to information compiled and submitted by regional councillors and handed to the Regional Emergency Management Unit.But, after comparing this figure with the 2001 Population and Housing Census indicators for the region, the Windhoek’s Emergency Management Unit (EMU) recently reduced the figure to 19 000 households.According to the census, the region’s population was just short of 203 000, with 30 467 households holding an average of 6,5 persons.On that information, 338 000 people would be entitled to food aid – way in excess of the estimated regional population.Until such data has been factored in, the Kavango’s Chief Regional Officer, Sebastian Kantema, says, his regional EMU will work on distributing aid to 134 319 beneficiaries – roughly seven people per 19 000 households.”This is a reasonable figure based on the census.But we will have to scrutinise all the applications.We can’t leave people out but we also can’t base information on estimations,” Kantema told The Namibian after an extensive meeting with officials at the town yesterday held to iron out the problem.According to him, most application forms were not completed accurately: in most instances, the exact number of beneficiaries was omitted.Kantema said was still confident the process would get underway before the end of this week.”We have enough supplies and enough transport.We have to start distributing,” he said.The Kapako constituency in the west, and the Ndiyona constituency in the east, of the region will be the first areas to receive aid as more of the forms recorded individuals’ names in those two constituencies.Kantema hopes the dispute over the number of beneficiaries in the other four constituencies eligible for drought assistance will be resolved by month’s end.Last year, 52 000 households were deemed to be in need of aid, according to information compiled and submitted by regional councillors and handed to the Regional Emergency Management Unit. But, after comparing this figure with the 2001 Population and Housing Census indicators for the region, the Windhoek’s Emergency Management Unit (EMU) recently reduced the figure to 19 000 households. According to the census, the region’s population was just short of 203 000, with 30 467 households holding an average of 6,5 persons. On that information, 338 000 people would be entitled to food aid – way in excess of the estimated regional population. Until such data has been factored in, the Kavango’s Chief Regional Officer, Sebastian Kantema, says, his regional EMU will work on distributing aid to 134 319 beneficiaries – roughly seven people per 19 000 households. “This is a reasonable figure based on the census. But we will have to scrutinise all the applications. We can’t leave people out but we also can’t base information on estimations,” Kantema told The Namibian after an extensive meeting with officials at the town yesterday held to iron out the problem. According to him, most application forms were not completed accurately: in most instances, the exact number of beneficiaries was omitted. Kantema said was still confident the process would get underway before the end of this week. “We have enough supplies and enough transport. We have to start distributing,” he said. The Kapako constituency in the west, and the Ndiyona constituency in the east, of the region will be the first areas to receive aid as more of the forms recorded individuals’ names in those two constituencies. Kantema hopes the dispute over the number of beneficiaries in the other four constituencies eligible for drought assistance will be resolved by month’s end.

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