Service delivery still patchy in rural areas

A report that highlights challenges hampering services at various regional councils and conservancies in north-central and north-eastern Namibia has been adopted by the National Council with amendments.

The report by the National Council Standing Committee on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources followed an oversight visit to eight regions to review issues such as rural water supply, community-based conservancies and open mining pits.

The regions visited were Zambezi, Kavango East, Kavango West, Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Oshana, Omusati, Kunene, and Erongo.

According to the report, some of the challenges hampering service delivery include ageing vehicle fleets and water infrastructure and insufficient funding for regional councils.

The committee found that the supply of drinking water in remote areas hinges on resources such as cars and personnel.

"The inadequacy of vehicles was exacerbated by high salinity levels in regions such as Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Oshana and Omusati, where residents resorted to using dirty water as the tankers that supplied the water were always in disrepair."

Lack of water

The report said that despite the number of challenges, the agriculture and water ministry, through the directorate of water supply and sanitation, is doing relatively well in providing potable water to remote areas.

It, however, expressed concern that more than thirty years after independence, some community members were still without clean drinking water and depended solely on traditional wells and rainwater for both humans and livestock.

The committee noticed that many people in Kavango West, the Mpungu constituency in particular, followed by the Oshikunde constituency in the Ohangwena Region, still walk long distances to reach water points, both for themselves and their livestock.

The committee also visited eight conservancies to meet with management and observe the operations and determine achievements and challenges in those areas.

Good and bad

According to the report, committee members were overwhelmed with the level of economic activities taking place at the conservancies at Ehi-Rovipuka in the Kunene, Salambala and Mashi in Zambezi, Maurus Nekaru in Kavango West and Okongo in Ohangwena.

"However, the same cannot be said for Sheya Shuunona, Iipumbu Ya Shilongo and Uukolonkadhi conservancy in Omusati Region. Joseph Mbambangandu is registered as a community-based conservancy and there are no activities taking place and has since been abandoned," the report noted.

It further said that the Otjindjerese conservancy had not earned any income since it was gazetted and was waiting to be granted a leasehold right by the traditional authority.

The committee also noted the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and said it contributed to the low level of economic activities experienced by communities that operated conservancies.

Recommendations

It said that there were disparities when it came to the economic benefits drawn from conservancies, as those in Zambezi, Kavango West and Ehi-Rovipuka in Kunene were doing quite well.

The committee recommended that delegated functions of water supply and sanitation coordination to regional councils should comprise full resources for the maintenance of ageing water infrastructure.

The committee stated that the moratorium on purchasing new vehicles should be lifted and that old fleets should be auctioned to fund and purchase new vehicles.

It also said that conservancies should be granted more hunting quotas to ensure that goals are met and payment for the human-wildlife self-sufficiency scheme be decentralised.