Ohangwena governor aims to harness region’s ‘extraordinary’ untapped potential
In a move to pivot the Ohangwena region from the margins of national development to a central economic powerhouse, governor Kadiva Hamutumwa officially launched a high-level workshop to develop the Ohangwena Regional Investment Strategy and Action Plan this week.
Addressing regional leaders, traditional authorities and private sector partners at the event held in Eenhana, Hamutumwa challenged the long-standing perception of the region as underdeveloped.
She articulated a vision of economic self-sufficiency, urging stakeholders to look beyond traditional aid and toward strategic, large-scale investments.
Hamutumwa said her vision was rooted in what she learned during recent familiarisation visits across eight constituencies, revealing a region of great untapped potential.
She witnessed a dual reality: local innovation thriving but hamstrung by a lack of infrastructure and limited access to markets.
“For far too long, Ohangwena has been perceived as an underdeveloped region standing at the margins of our nation’s development agenda,” Hamutumwa said.
“Yet what I have witnessed is something profoundly different, a region of extraordinary untapped economic potential ready to be transformed into engines of shared prosperity.”
Unlock capacity
To bridge the gap between potential and reality, she said her office has collaborated with the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) to establish the Regional Investment Committee (RIC).
Hamutumwa said this diverse body includes professionals, youth representatives and members from both the Oukwanyama and Ondonga traditional authorities.
The governor emphasised that government cannot act in a vacuum.
“The government in isolation cannot, on its own, bring the scale of investment required to unlock the region’s full economic capacity,” Hamutumwa noted.
She said the new investment map is a strategic tool designed to guide private capital toward areas that provide both financial returns and social impact.
“We must open our doors to both internal and external investors who share our vision for inclusive, responsible and transformative development.”
Hamutumwa said the strategy aligns with international frameworks like the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
By positioning Ohangwena as a competitive player, the region's leadership aims to significantly boost the region's contribution to Namibia's gross domestic product, the governor said.
“To our regional leadership, this initiative does not belong to the Office of the Governor alone; this is a shared responsibility,” she remarked.
[email protected]
Addressing regional leaders, traditional authorities and private sector partners at the event held in Eenhana, Hamutumwa challenged the long-standing perception of the region as underdeveloped.
She articulated a vision of economic self-sufficiency, urging stakeholders to look beyond traditional aid and toward strategic, large-scale investments.
Hamutumwa said her vision was rooted in what she learned during recent familiarisation visits across eight constituencies, revealing a region of great untapped potential.
She witnessed a dual reality: local innovation thriving but hamstrung by a lack of infrastructure and limited access to markets.
“For far too long, Ohangwena has been perceived as an underdeveloped region standing at the margins of our nation’s development agenda,” Hamutumwa said.
“Yet what I have witnessed is something profoundly different, a region of extraordinary untapped economic potential ready to be transformed into engines of shared prosperity.”
Unlock capacity
To bridge the gap between potential and reality, she said her office has collaborated with the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) to establish the Regional Investment Committee (RIC).
Hamutumwa said this diverse body includes professionals, youth representatives and members from both the Oukwanyama and Ondonga traditional authorities.
The governor emphasised that government cannot act in a vacuum.
“The government in isolation cannot, on its own, bring the scale of investment required to unlock the region’s full economic capacity,” Hamutumwa noted.
She said the new investment map is a strategic tool designed to guide private capital toward areas that provide both financial returns and social impact.
“We must open our doors to both internal and external investors who share our vision for inclusive, responsible and transformative development.”
Hamutumwa said the strategy aligns with international frameworks like the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
By positioning Ohangwena as a competitive player, the region's leadership aims to significantly boost the region's contribution to Namibia's gross domestic product, the governor said.
“To our regional leadership, this initiative does not belong to the Office of the Governor alone; this is a shared responsibility,” she remarked.
[email protected]
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article