Okakarara battles water, power cuts

THE Okakarara Vocational Training Centre (OVTC) has closed temporarily as the month-long water and electricity crisis at the town continues to hit various institutions.

“This problem has affected us to the extent that there is practically nothing we can do. Apart from our kitchen and hostel, most of our training is conducted with water and electricity,” OVTC Principal, Penson Mootu, said.Mootu told The Namibian yesterday that his institution had suspended all classes indefinitely on Monday and was now consulting with the Ministry of Higher Education to look for alternative solutions to the problem.”Among the alternatives we are contemplating at this stage is to get an electricity generator and water tanks for the school,” he explained.Okakarara in the Otjozondjupa Region has been grappling with a serious water and electricity shortage since the beginning of the month when both NamWater and NamPower terminated their services over non-payment of debts.The Okakarara Town Council is said to owe the two State utilities a combined amount of N$2,8 million, which has apparently accumulated over a number of years.Another institution said to be hard hit by the persistent water shortage is the town’s Police station, which has 50 inmates at present.According to sources at Okakarara, the inmates have now resorted to defecating on the floor of their cells when the toilet facilities, which had remained unflushed for days, were full.”These people’s [inmates] situation is very delicate because they do not have the freedom of going into the bush [to relieve themselves] like other residents,” a Police source at the town said, speaking on condition of anonymity.”Nature is nature, when it presses there is no way you can postpone it.”The Commanding Officer of the Okakarara Police Station, Warrant Officer Isak Awarab, would not be drawn into commenting on allegations of inmates defecating on the floor of their cells, but confirmed that there are “serious problems with out toilet facilities” due to the shortage of water.”Sometimes we get water from the hospital and other times we go to nearby cattle posts, so that we can at least flush the toilets,” Awarab said.The hospital is said to be the only institution that has been spared the water and electricity cuts.Yesterday, residents of the town told The Namibian that their water had been briefly re-connected on Wednesday evening only to be cut again at noon yesterday.NamPower wants the town council to pay about N$1 million of the N$1,6 million owed to it, while NamWater had to opt for a pre-paid agreement whereby it only supplies the quantity of water proportionate to the amount of money the council pays.Yesterday the Mayor of Okakarara, Tjatjirani Kandukira, and Town Clerk Abiud Kandinda were said to be in Windhoek to seek assistance from various Ministries and other institutions.Apart from our kitchen and hostel, most of our training is conducted with water and electricity,” OVTC Principal, Penson Mootu, said.Mootu told The Namibian yesterday that his institution had suspended all classes indefinitely on Monday and was now consulting with the Ministry of Higher Education to look for alternative solutions to the problem.”Among the alternatives we are contemplating at this stage is to get an electricity generator and water tanks for the school,” he explained.Okakarara in the Otjozondjupa Region has been grappling with a serious water and electricity shortage since the beginning of the month when both NamWater and NamPower terminated their services over non-payment of debts.The Okakarara Town Council is said to owe the two State utilities a combined amount of N$2,8 million, which has apparently accumulated over a number of years.Another institution said to be hard hit by the persistent water shortage is the town’s Police station, which has 50 inmates at present.According to sources at Okakarara, the inmates have now resorted to defecating on the floor of their cells when the toilet facilities, which had remained unflushed for days, were full.”These people’s [inmates] situation is very delicate because they do not have the freedom of going into the bush [to relieve themselves] like other residents,” a Police source at the town said, speaking on condition of anonymity.”Nature is nature, when it presses there is no way you can postpone it.”The Commanding Officer of the Okakarara Police Station, Warrant Officer Isak Awarab, would not be drawn into commenting on allegations of inmates defecating on the floor of their cells, but confirmed that there are “serious problems with out toilet facilities” due to the shortage of water.”Sometimes we get water from the hospital and other times we go to nearby cattle posts, so that we can at least flush the toilets,” Awarab said.The hospital is said to be the only institution that has been spared the water and electricity cuts.Yesterday, residents of the town told The Namibian that their water had been briefly re-connected on Wednesday evening only to be cut again at noon yesterday.NamPower wants the town council to pay about N$1 million of the N$1,6 million owed to it, while NamWater had to opt for a pre-paid agreement whereby it only supplies the quantity of water proportionate to the amount of money the council pays.Yesterday the Mayor of Okakarara, Tjatjirani Kandukira, and Town Clerk Abiud Kandinda were said to be in Windhoek to seek assistance from various Ministries and other institutions.