NC starts debating Budget

GOVERNMENT should reintroduce drought relief and food aid, because many regions did not receive good rains this year, a Swapo MP appealed yesterday.

Speaking during debate on the Appropriation Bill in the National Council, Phillemon Ndjambula said although some regions such as Omusati, Ohangwena and Oshikoto received better rains, their crops were destroyed by birds. Ndjambula is the regional councillor for Olukonda constituency in the Oshikoto Region.On the Government assistance to orphans and vulnerable children, Ndjambula said he was happy with the drastic improvement in the registration of these children.”Many OVCs are currently receiving Government social grants but some double orphans are still not benefiting mainly due to documentation such as death certificates,” he said.Ndjambula said this was caused by the fact that in some cultures people bury their loved ones within a day, and in some cases the relatives of parents who die refuse to hand over the death certificates to the children.He called on such communities to refrain from this practice, as they were punishing innocent children.Ndjambula applauded Minister of Finance Saara Kuugongelwa Amadhila and her Deputy, Tjekero Tweya, for reducing public debt from 35 per cent to 31,3 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP).Swapo’s Henock Kankoshi thanked the Ministry of Gender and Child Welfare for recruiting volunteers in every constituency to register orphans for social grants, adding that the process was running smoothly in most constituencies.Kankoshi is a regional councillor for Onyaanya constituency in Oshikoto Region.However, Kankoshi wants Government to recruit more volunteers, as there are many orphans and vulnerable children that are not yet registered.”In some regions, like Oshikoto for example, the social worker is based in Tsumeb and most of our rural people cannot afford to travel almost 300 km to Tsumeb,” said Kankoshi.He applauded Government for providing anti-retroviral treatment to HIV-AIDS patients but wants the treatment to be provided at health centres and clinics too, as these are closer to the people than district hospitals.Debate on the Appropriation Bill was then adjourned to this morning.Ndjambula is the regional councillor for Olukonda constituency in the Oshikoto Region.On the Government assistance to orphans and vulnerable children, Ndjambula said he was happy with the drastic improvement in the registration of these children.”Many OVCs are currently receiving Government social grants but some double orphans are still not benefiting mainly due to documentation such as death certificates,” he said.Ndjambula said this was caused by the fact that in some cultures people bury their loved ones within a day, and in some cases the relatives of parents who die refuse to hand over the death certificates to the children.He called on such communities to refrain from this practice, as they were punishing innocent children.Ndjambula applauded Minister of Finance Saara Kuugongelwa Amadhila and her Deputy, Tjekero Tweya, for reducing public debt from 35 per cent to 31,3 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP).Swapo’s Henock Kankoshi thanked the Ministry of Gender and Child Welfare for recruiting volunteers in every constituency to register orphans for social grants, adding that the process was running smoothly in most constituencies.Kankoshi is a regional councillor for Onyaanya constituency in Oshikoto Region.However, Kankoshi wants Government to recruit more volunteers, as there are many orphans and vulnerable children that are not yet registered.”In some regions, like Oshikoto for example, the social worker is based in Tsumeb and most of our rural people cannot afford to travel almost 300 km to Tsumeb,” said Kankoshi.He applauded Government for providing anti-retroviral treatment to HIV-AIDS patients but wants the treatment to be provided at health centres and clinics too, as these are closer to the people than district hospitals.Debate on the Appropriation Bill was then adjourned to this morning.