THE Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry have through the drought relief programme allocated N$24,7 million to Ohangwena to address water shortages in the region in the 2019/20 financial year.
As part of the water provision project, the Ohangwena Regional Council has in collaboration with a number of stakeholders started ferrying water to villages and other areas facing severe water shortages to improve residents’ access to clean drinking water.
Rural communities in the Ohangwena region have over the years experienced water scarcity, forcing them to consume unsuitable and salty water for survival.
According to chief regional officer Fillipus Shilongo, the council has come up with short-term and long-term solutions to the challenges of water shortages in the region.
In a press release in response to a video clip circulating on social media about the water challenges in the region, he said: “One of the short-term solutions is a 10 000-litre water tank erected at the Ohaimbudu village and other needy villages by the government.
“These tanks are filled up every two weeks by NamWater and NDF water tankers. This process is still ongoing,” he noted.
Shilongo added that the ministry of environment, through the Environmental Investment Fund and in collaboration with the ministry of agriculture, has embarked on a project to drill a borehole at Aquifer II, and lay a water pipeline network from Oshidute locality to villages such as Omupanda, Onghwii and Ohakafiya.
“The pipeline will also supply water to Oshikunde east and west. The Ohangwena Regional Council, through the Epembe constituency development committee, is procuring water pipes to supply the affected communities in the constituency.
The project will include deepening existing boreholes, as well as drilling and equipping new ones to supply Oshikunde, Epembe and Omundaungilo.
The water reticulation in the constituency will include the Okamwandi-Ohaimbudu-Oshilambwili pipeline, the Omhinda-Ohamikoka, Ohamutwetautende-Oneishiyo pipeline and the Oshamono-Eshii A-Eshii B water pipeline.
Other pipelines being considered when funds are made available are the Ohamatundu-Ohenghono-Oshilambwili; Oshamono-Outando-Onduludiya-Oluungu; the Ombaba-Ombwa-Oushikilo and the Oshiweda-Ondjaha supply lineslines.
Shilongo also said the government has allocated N$3 million for drilling and equipping 15 boreholes in Okongo constituency, where 14 of these are already functioning and are supplying the communities with water.
“We, therefore, reiterate that the situation shown in the video clip has been attended to and the government through the regional council is working hard to ensure that the affected communities are supplied with water on a regular basis while working to find a permanent solution,” he stated.
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