Last year was tough for Okakarara – Kandorozu

IN 2018, the Okakarara constituency punched below its weight economically as little development took place to uplift more than 10 000 inhabitants from poverty.

This is according to Okakarara constituency councillor Vetaruhe Kandorozu, who told Nampa on Monday that this was due to a plethora of budget cuts imposed on the constituency by central government in recent years.

Unemployment remains high, while several capital projects have been frozen amid the budget cuts.

In the 2016/17 and 2017/18 financial years, the constituency’s budget was revised downwards by over N$20 million, Kandorozu said.

While looking ahead with optimism, he described 2018 as a tough year.

“It did not go the way we thought it would to improve the livelihoods of our people,” he added.

Kandorozu, who has been at the helm of the constituency for the last 14 years, said they received no funds to build additional classrooms, schools, or even houses for low income-earners.

“However, Okakarara Secondary School is one of the schools that will be renovated with the funds that our government borrowed from the African Development Bank,” he observed. The school’s hall burnt down in 1988.

So far, the ceiling, plastering and interior painting have been completed.

Next in line is the tiling of the hall and fitting of window frames and doors before the exterior is tackled.

During the period under review, the constituency received N$3 million for the construction of oxidation ponds at Okondjatu and Okamatapati, respectively.

Other takeaways from the financially precarious 2018 is the road between Okamatapati and Grootfontein, which was upgraded to bitumen standard, in addition to an access road between Ongongoro and Coblenz, which was also upgraded to bitumen standard.

Furthermore, five cellular network towers will be erected at Otumborombonga, Okauha, Ozongarangombe, Omungondouovineja and Okangeama.

This will aid access to information for residents, potential investors and tourists alike. The towers are due for completion next month.

A resilient approach should be adopted if the constituency is to weather the persistent economic storm, the councillor said.

“It is time for our people to rethink and adopt a resilient agricultural approach. There is no rain. Our cattle are dying. The situation is dire. We must really tighten our belts, and start using seeds that are drought-resilient in order to feed ourselves,” Kandorozu urged.

– Nampa