The Erongo Regional Council (ERC) has launched its five-year 2025-2030 strategic plan backed by a N$487.7-million development budget, focusing on water supply, sanitation, housing and infrastructure development as its top priorities.
Speaking at the launch at Walvis Bay on Wednesday, chief regional officer Sam Ntelamo said the plan, which was developed through broad consultations between February and July, is strongly aligned with Vision 2030 and the sixth National Development Plan.
“This strategy represents the desires and needs of our people. It seeks to increase household water access from 62 to 91%, improve sanitation connectivity from 54 to 72%, and deliver low-cost houses across various settlements,” he stated.
To fund these priorities, the 2025/26 budget earmarks N$3.57 million for the Ozondati water pipeline, N$1.06 million for basic sanitation in rural areas, and N$7 million for township services at Omatjete, Uis, Wlotzkasbaken, Otjimbingwe and Okombahe.
Additional allocations include N$2.4 million for the installation of water meters across all settlements, as well as funding for refuse management and infrastructure assessments.
Ntelamo noted that while the plan is ambitious, challenges such as financial constraints, aging infrastructure, land shortages and limited operational fleets could hinder implementation.
“Sustainable growth will depend on strengthening financial management, diversifying revenue streams and ensuring stakeholder collaboration,” he said.
Governor Natalia |Goagoses backs Ntelamo’s remarks, stressing that the launch reflects the council’s commitment to service delivery and development.
“It is an honour that our plan has been certified by the Office of the Prime Minister. Now it is about implementation,” she says.
|Goagoses urges the council to focus on tangible results such as water provision, sanitation, housing and roads.
The new strategic plan builds on the council’s previous achievements (2017-2024), which included constructing a 217-square metre water reservoir at Wlotzkasbaken, building new settlement offices, supporting 50 rural small and medium enterprises and facilitating the construction of low-cost housing and sanitation facilities.
The ERC has been recognised nationally as the best-performing regional council in implementing the Customer Service Charter during that period.
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