Hamata unhappy with Ohangwena budget allocation

The national budget tabled by finance minister Iipumbu Shiimi continues to have its shortcomings highlighted, with Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) parliamentarian Lukas Hamata bemoaning the funds allocated to the Ohangwena Region.“As a resident of Ohangwena, I owe it to the inhabitants of the region to represent them in this August House by magnifying their needs, as they have been neglected for the past years,” he said in the National Assembly on Tuesday.The region was allocated N$168.8 million, which is 85.3% less than the N$1.15 billion allocated to the Khomas Region.“In the 2022/2023 medium-term expenditure framework, the Ohangwena Region received the fifth-lowest developmental budget allocation, despite being the second-highest populated region in Namibia.“This speaks volumes on how the region is disregarded in terms of developmental priorities,” he said.“In the 2022/2023 developmental budget, important and necessary projects that will make significant changes in the lives of the citizenry of the Ohangwena Region are disregarded. No funding has been made available for major projects,” Hamata said, listing rural electrification, construction of dams for human consumption, construction of hostels and schools, harvesting of underground water for household and commercial usage and construction of critical road networks linking households to schools and clinics as some of the major projects.‘Not superfluous’Moreover, the PDM parliamentarian emphasised that the budget must reflect and address real - and not superfluous - developmental issues.“I am happy that after so many delays, we will have a census in August this year to really provide a true reflection and up-to-date data on our geographic dispersion, our socio-economic and how the resources should be distributed so that all Namibians can benefit equally,” he said.

Hamata unhappy with Ohangwena budget allocation

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-13

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Hamata unhappy with Ohangwena budget allocation

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-13

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