Oshikoto fails to meet plansfor 2023/2024 financial year

The Oshikoto Regional Council has failed to meet its set perfomance targets for the 2023/2024 financial year.

The regional council only achieved 63% of its overall performance targets.

This is a slight increase from its 60,5% overall performance obtained during the 2022/2023 financial year.

The council’s chief regional officer, Christella Mwenyo, says despite a shortfall in achieving a 100% implementation of the plan, some of the council’s notable achievements for the financial year include the successful preparation, approval and submission of the council’s annual financial statements for the 2022/2023 financial year to the Office of the Auditor General.

She said this at Omuthiya yesterday, adding that the council faced several challenges such as issues around the procurement process, and the aging and breakdown of vehicles, among many others.

“In the past, the regional council has been using consultants in preparation of its financial reports, however, for the past three financial years, the preparation of the financial statements was done in-house. The council also reviewed, developed and launched its new Customer Service Charter, which aims to improve our customer service delivery. Furthermore, the council, together with the Office of the Prime Minister, successfully implemented disaster risk management activities in the region,” she said, adding that the council made budgetary provision for an amount of N$165 000 during the 2023/2024 financial year, to respond to emergencies.

Mwenyo said in terms of the implementation of developmental projects for the financial year, the council completed the construction of phase four of service infrastructure in the Oshivelo settlement and phase three of electrical service infrastructure in the Onayena settlement, to a combined total of N$1,8 million.

The council also completed the construction of phase one service infrastructure (water reticulation) in the Onyuulaye settlement and the layout plan for the Oshigambo settlement, which was submitted to the Urban and Regional Planning Board for approval.

“The council also commenced with the construction of phase three of the Guinas constituency office, which includes staff housing, a community hall and storage facility. The project progress stands at 20%. The regional council further allocated an amount of N$560 000 towards the construction of seven Build Together houses at Oshivelo, as a result, seven beneficiaries were identified and approved to build their own houses,” said Mwenyo.

Mwenyo said the council also paid N$889 000 for planning and servicing of land in the Onayena settlement, and in terms of rural development, the regional council constructed a 4km water pipeline in the Omuntele constituency and upgraded a 4,2km pipeline in the Onayena constituency.

Mwenyo said the council spent N$363 266 on the two projects.

The council also constructed two other short water pipelines, where it spent N$505 000 on the projects.

Mwenyo said the council procured materials for the construction of 100 toilets in 10 constituencies in the region, with the exception of Tsumeb constituency, which will be delivered to beneficiaries during the first quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year.

“Council was allocated an amount of N$2,1 million for the 2023/2024 financial year for its Rural Sanitation Programme by the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development,” added Mwenyo.

She said the rural electrification programme, funded by NamPower, was allocated N$7,2 million, and that the de-bushing of the electricity route, covering a distance of 20km is completed, while the planting of electric poles is at an advanced stage.

The areas identified to benefit under this programme during the 2023/2024 financial year are Hedimbi Primary School and Hedimbi Clinic, as well as three other growth points in the vicinity of Okoloti in the Nehale Lya Mpingana constituency.