NPC gets N$50 million from EC

THE European Commission office in Windhoek yesterday contributed to the Namibian Government’s efforts to alleviate poverty among rural communities by providing N$50 million.

The funding, which is channelled to the Government via the National Planning Commission (NPC), is reported to be earmarked for rural water-supply initiatives. The Acting Director General of the NPC and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Dr Albert Kawana, received the money from Ambassador of the European Commission to Namibia, Dr Elizabeth Pape.Pape reiterated her commission’s commitment to continue supporting Namibia’s rural water-supply sector in the coming years to ensure that the Millennium Development Goals are reached.She told the gathering that poverty is one of the main constraints hampering human and social development in Namibia, and for this reason the European Commission took the decision to help Namibia effectively tackle the issue.”With the Namibian Government’s and the European Development Fund’s support during the past years, the percentages of the water coverage in the country (Namibia) has increased and are reported being the highest on the African continent.”Eight-seven per cent of Namibia’s rural households have now access to clean and safe potable water and that 60 per cent rural water points were fully handed over to communities through water point committees.”About 60 per cent of the representatives in rural water management decision are women and about 22 per cent rural households have self-sustaining access to potable water,” she said.Kawana applauded the European Commission for the initiative and promised that the money will be used for its intended purpose of poverty reduction in rural Namibia.NampaThe Acting Director General of the NPC and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Dr Albert Kawana, received the money from Ambassador of the European Commission to Namibia, Dr Elizabeth Pape.Pape reiterated her commission’s commitment to continue supporting Namibia’s rural water-supply sector in the coming years to ensure that the Millennium Development Goals are reached.She told the gathering that poverty is one of the main constraints hampering human and social development in Namibia, and for this reason the European Commission took the decision to help Namibia effectively tackle the issue.”With the Namibian Government’s and the European Development Fund’s support during the past years, the percentages of the water coverage in the country (Namibia) has increased and are reported being the highest on the African continent.”Eight-seven per cent of Namibia’s rural households have now access to clean and safe potable water and that 60 per cent rural water points were fully handed over to communities through water point committees.”About 60 per cent of the representatives in rural water management decision are women and about 22 per cent rural households have self-sustaining access to potable water,” she said.Kawana applauded the European Commission for the initiative and promised that the money will be used for its intended purpose of poverty reduction in rural Namibia.Nampa