Opuwo needs N$13.5m to fix crumbling infrastructure
Kenya KamboweEngoyi
The cash-strapped Opuwo Town Council says it needs at least N$13.5 million to address its deteriorating road network and stormwater channels, warning that the poor state of infrastructure is hampering economic growth.The warning is contained in a report compiled by the town’s CEO, Matjandjara Tjihuura-Katurota, who responded to a Namibian Sun enquiry following a recent visit to the town.
Titled ‘Urgent Request for Strategic Intervention and Funding to Avert a Compounding Infrastructure and Public Health Crisis in Opuwo Town”’, the report, which was submitted to the urban and rural development ministry, outlines the severity of the town’s infrastructure challenges and appeals for emergency assistance due to limited funding.
“The dilapidated state of Opuwo’s roads has a direct and negative impact on its economy,” the report notes.
Council requires at least N$8.5 million to construct five kilometres of formal primary stormwater channels in the most flood-prone areas, including Old Katutura, New Katutura and Orutjandja.
It requires a further N$5 million to re-gravel 25 kilometres of damaged town roads, which are not covered by the limited Road Fund Administration (RFA) allocation.
“The town’s road network, composed primarily of gravel roads, is in a state of collapse. Recent heavy rains have washed away significant portions of these roads, rendering many of them impassable for residents, commercial vehicles and emergency services,” the report reads.
“This widespread damage is exacerbated by a critical funding shortfall,” it adds.
The council warns that the town’s impassable roads are “not merely an inconvenience, they are a tangible economic brake, actively suppressing the potential of the regional capital and its people”
It adds: “The failure to maintain this basic infrastructure perpetuates a cycle of economic stagnation and makes the town a less attractive destination for the investment it so desperately needs. The state of the roads is a clear signal that the infrastructure crisis is comprehensive and requires an equally comprehensive, not piecemeal, solution.”
Critical lack of resources
The funding allocated to the town from the RFA is severely limited and has been earmarked for a single project, which is the re-gravelling of the main Agra-Rani road.
The letter notes that while this is important, it leaves the vast majority of the town’s internal road network without any resources for repair.
“Gravel road maintenance is not a one-time expense; it requires consistent funding for routine activities like blading, costing between N$2 500 and N$5 000 per kilometre annually, and periodic re-gravelling, costing an average of N$90 000 per km, to remain serviceable.”
The report further indicates that the council’s financial crisis prevents it from providing the necessary supplementary funding, leading to a rapid and unchecked decay of vital assets.
“Poor road conditions significantly increase vehicle operating costs for businesses and residents alike through higher fuel consumption, increased wear and tear, and longer travel times,” the report reads.
Among the consequences are that the transport of goods to and from local businesses is slowed, access to markets is hindered and the delivery of essential services is complicated.
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The cash-strapped Opuwo Town Council says it needs at least N$13.5 million to address its deteriorating road network and stormwater channels, warning that the poor state of infrastructure is hampering economic growth.The warning is contained in a report compiled by the town’s CEO, Matjandjara Tjihuura-Katurota, who responded to a Namibian Sun enquiry following a recent visit to the town.
Titled ‘Urgent Request for Strategic Intervention and Funding to Avert a Compounding Infrastructure and Public Health Crisis in Opuwo Town”’, the report, which was submitted to the urban and rural development ministry, outlines the severity of the town’s infrastructure challenges and appeals for emergency assistance due to limited funding.
“The dilapidated state of Opuwo’s roads has a direct and negative impact on its economy,” the report notes.
Council requires at least N$8.5 million to construct five kilometres of formal primary stormwater channels in the most flood-prone areas, including Old Katutura, New Katutura and Orutjandja.
It requires a further N$5 million to re-gravel 25 kilometres of damaged town roads, which are not covered by the limited Road Fund Administration (RFA) allocation.
“The town’s road network, composed primarily of gravel roads, is in a state of collapse. Recent heavy rains have washed away significant portions of these roads, rendering many of them impassable for residents, commercial vehicles and emergency services,” the report reads.
“This widespread damage is exacerbated by a critical funding shortfall,” it adds.
The council warns that the town’s impassable roads are “not merely an inconvenience, they are a tangible economic brake, actively suppressing the potential of the regional capital and its people”
It adds: “The failure to maintain this basic infrastructure perpetuates a cycle of economic stagnation and makes the town a less attractive destination for the investment it so desperately needs. The state of the roads is a clear signal that the infrastructure crisis is comprehensive and requires an equally comprehensive, not piecemeal, solution.”
Critical lack of resources
The funding allocated to the town from the RFA is severely limited and has been earmarked for a single project, which is the re-gravelling of the main Agra-Rani road.
The letter notes that while this is important, it leaves the vast majority of the town’s internal road network without any resources for repair.
“Gravel road maintenance is not a one-time expense; it requires consistent funding for routine activities like blading, costing between N$2 500 and N$5 000 per kilometre annually, and periodic re-gravelling, costing an average of N$90 000 per km, to remain serviceable.”
The report further indicates that the council’s financial crisis prevents it from providing the necessary supplementary funding, leading to a rapid and unchecked decay of vital assets.
“Poor road conditions significantly increase vehicle operating costs for businesses and residents alike through higher fuel consumption, increased wear and tear, and longer travel times,” the report reads.
Among the consequences are that the transport of goods to and from local businesses is slowed, access to markets is hindered and the delivery of essential services is complicated.
[email protected]
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