Kunene spends N$6,8m on relief aid monthly

Kunene governor Marius Sheya says they are spending N$6,8 million monthly to administer government maintenance grants to 27 505 beneficiaries in the region.

Speaking at his state of the region address on Friday, Sheya said an additional N$11 million is spent monthly on old age grants to 8 536 beneficiaries while N$4,5 million is spent monthly on disability grants to 3 240 beneficiaries.

“Social security nets protect elderly and vulnerable people against the pressures of poverty and hunger, these social support systems give poor households income security, reduce inequalities and ensure that growth is shared,” Sheya said.

According to statistics, 35 002 households in the Kunene region are currently receiving drought relief food. This is out of 78 495 residents in the region who are at an extreme level of food insecurity this year.

Sheya added that when the Office of the Prime Minister conducted a Namibia annual livelihood vulnerability assessment and analysis from May to June this year, the drought situation was expected to remain the same for October 2024 to March 2025.

“To mitigate the effects of climate change and safeguard livelihoods, president Nangolo Mbumba declared a state of emergency on drought effective from 22 May 2024,” he said.

The households are currently receiving a 20kg of maize meal, a 750ml of cooking oil, 400 grams of tinned fish and 750 grams of soya mince.

LAND REFORM

The governor also revealed that during the period under review, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform acquired one farm which is a remaining portion of the Farm Vaalwater with a total size of 2 948 hectares.

“Thirteen farms were offered to the state for assessment and demarcation purposes. Two beneficiaries (males) from the Kunene region were resettled at Farm Babelsberg No.637 and the remaining portion of the Farm Vaalwater No.283,” he said.

Sheya said on communal areas, 256 customary land rights, 12 leasehold land rights and four occupational land rights were ratified and approved by the Kunene Communal Land Board.

“During the period under review, three staff members were recruited with the responsibility for communal land registration while six who were recruited under the National Youth Service were recruited for caretaking services and guarding of acquired resettlement farms,” Sheya said.