THE power at Usakos was on Thursday morning switched back on about 27 hours after NamPower cut it.
Usakos Mayor, Renathe Namases told The Namibian on Friday that the power was back on at around 11h00 after a payment was made to the power utility. She declined to reveal the exact amount that was paid to NamPower but said it was about half of what the Council still owed.Daniel Stramiss, Chairperson of the Council Management Committee said on Thursday the Council’s debt stood at N$290 000.”The money came from our revenue,” said Namases.”We are waiting on a letter from NamPower to tell us how much is still outstanding.”In response to a charge by some residents that Council had used money paid for water and electricity bills to pay employee benefits, Namases said: “We have to pay everything from this income.”She added that only 30 per cent of residents pay their accounts every month.”This means our income is less than our expenses of N$400 000 per month.We have 1 600 houses at the town.If every household only paid N$250 per month we would be able to pay all our accounts,” said the Mayor.Services to more than half of the number of households are cut off currently due to non-payment.Namases said the Government institutions were no longer the biggest culprits.”They are up to date on their accounts after we cut their services in July.”She declined to reveal the exact amount that was paid to NamPower but said it was about half of what the Council still owed.Daniel Stramiss, Chairperson of the Council Management Committee said on Thursday the Council’s debt stood at N$290 000.”The money came from our revenue,” said Namases.”We are waiting on a letter from NamPower to tell us how much is still outstanding.”In response to a charge by some residents that Council had used money paid for water and electricity bills to pay employee benefits, Namases said: “We have to pay everything from this income.”She added that only 30 per cent of residents pay their accounts every month.”This means our income is less than our expenses of N$400 000 per month.We have 1 600 houses at the town.If every household only paid N$250 per month we would be able to pay all our accounts,” said the Mayor.Services to more than half of the number of households are cut off currently due to non-payment.Namases said the Government institutions were no longer the biggest culprits.”They are up to date on their accounts after we cut their services in July.”
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