EU pumps money into projects in the North

OSHAKATI – The European Union (EU) has set aside about N$170 million to support a planned Government irrigation project and the construction of secondary roads in the far north of Namibia.

EU ambassador Antonius Brueser told Nampa that N$80 million was earmarked for the irrigation project, while about N$90 million would be used to build roads. He said the roads, most of them gravel roads, would be built in a labour-intensive way to create employment for local people.The EU has already made the money available and the road works should get off the ground by next year.The EU is also financially supporting the voluntary AIDS counselling and testing (VCT) programme at Oshakati, Rundu and Katima Mulilo.It contributed about N$6 million to a new resource centre for people with disabilities, which was inaugurated by Health and Social Services Deputy Minister Petrina Haingura at Oshakati last week.Brueser said the EU would support the centre for the next three to four years and the help included the provision of sunglasses and protective clothes for albinos.”It is nice to concentrate not only on Windhoek, but the northern parts of the country as well,” Brueser said.- NampaHe said the roads, most of them gravel roads, would be built in a labour-intensive way to create employment for local people.The EU has already made the money available and the road works should get off the ground by next year.The EU is also financially supporting the voluntary AIDS counselling and testing (VCT) programme at Oshakati, Rundu and Katima Mulilo.It contributed about N$6 million to a new resource centre for people with disabilities, which was inaugurated by Health and Social Services Deputy Minister Petrina Haingura at Oshakati last week.Brueser said the EU would support the centre for the next three to four years and the help included the provision of sunglasses and protective clothes for albinos.”It is nice to concentrate not only on Windhoek, but the northern parts of the country as well,” Brueser said.- Nampa