104 drought boreholes in limbo
The unused boreholes reported on by Namibian Sun last week were not drilled under the South African government's N$100 million donation to Namibia.
That funding agreement only covered the installation of existing boreholes, equipping them with casings, pipe fittings and pumps.
This has been revealed by the agriculture ministry spokesperson, Margaret Kalo, in her response to Namibian Sun's enquiries.
Kalo said half of the donation was supposed to be used for the installation of the 104 boreholes that had been drilled in the Zambezi, Kavango East, Kavango West, Ohangwena, Kunene and Omaheke regions.
“The condition of the funding agreement was for the installation of boreholes only, and not for the drilling of boreholes. A total of 104 boreholes will be installed under the project: 25 in Zambezi, 14 in Kavango East, 17 in Kavango West, 16 in Ohangwena, 21 in Kunene and 11 in Omaheke,” explained Kalo.
Kalo said the boreholes had been drilled by the agriculture ministry in conjunction with the prime minister's office.
Earlier, the deputy head of the South African High Commission, Eli Bitzer, informed Namibian Sun that the N$100 million drought relief aid offered to Namibia by South African President Jacob Zuma in 2013 was in two phases, and only phase one was complete.
The first phase of the donation, consisting of seed and maize meal from South Africa, was delivered in 2015. The second phase, covering provisions in the water, health and agricultural sectors to drought-stricken communities, has not yet been completed. By yesterday, Bitzer could not provide an update on the progress.
He said: “The first phase of the drought relief programme relating to the provision of seed and maize to the value of N$50 million was concluded some time ago. Rehabilitation of boreholes falls under the second phase of the programme.”
This came to light during a media briefing by the Ohangwena Aquifer Steering Committee at Eenhana in the Ohangwena Region this month.
At that event, the regional council's deputy director of rural services, Natalia Ndaitwah, expressed disappointment about 16 boreholes that had been drilled in the Okongo and Oshikunde constituencies in 2014, saying that these boreholes were not yet functional.
Ndaitwah said the boreholes were drilled as an emergency measure to provide water to people and animals hard hit by the drought, but communities were not using them because they were not fitted with pumps.
At the time, the deputy permanent secretary of water affairs in the agriculture ministry, Abraham Nehemia, said the boreholes had been drilled as part of the N$100 million drought relief aid offered to Namibia by the South African government in 2013.
He said under the agreement, the drilling and the installation of the boreholes were supposed to be done by South African companies.
“These boreholes were funded by the South African government which also said their companies would do the work. After the boreholes were drilled, the South African government did not identify companies to do the installations. Currently, this has been resolved and they will be installed soon,” Nehemia said.
He said these companies had started installing pumps in boreholes drilled under the same programme in the Zambezi Region and would soon do the installations in Ohangwena.
ILENI NANDJATO
That funding agreement only covered the installation of existing boreholes, equipping them with casings, pipe fittings and pumps.
This has been revealed by the agriculture ministry spokesperson, Margaret Kalo, in her response to Namibian Sun's enquiries.
Kalo said half of the donation was supposed to be used for the installation of the 104 boreholes that had been drilled in the Zambezi, Kavango East, Kavango West, Ohangwena, Kunene and Omaheke regions.
“The condition of the funding agreement was for the installation of boreholes only, and not for the drilling of boreholes. A total of 104 boreholes will be installed under the project: 25 in Zambezi, 14 in Kavango East, 17 in Kavango West, 16 in Ohangwena, 21 in Kunene and 11 in Omaheke,” explained Kalo.
Kalo said the boreholes had been drilled by the agriculture ministry in conjunction with the prime minister's office.
Earlier, the deputy head of the South African High Commission, Eli Bitzer, informed Namibian Sun that the N$100 million drought relief aid offered to Namibia by South African President Jacob Zuma in 2013 was in two phases, and only phase one was complete.
The first phase of the donation, consisting of seed and maize meal from South Africa, was delivered in 2015. The second phase, covering provisions in the water, health and agricultural sectors to drought-stricken communities, has not yet been completed. By yesterday, Bitzer could not provide an update on the progress.
He said: “The first phase of the drought relief programme relating to the provision of seed and maize to the value of N$50 million was concluded some time ago. Rehabilitation of boreholes falls under the second phase of the programme.”
This came to light during a media briefing by the Ohangwena Aquifer Steering Committee at Eenhana in the Ohangwena Region this month.
At that event, the regional council's deputy director of rural services, Natalia Ndaitwah, expressed disappointment about 16 boreholes that had been drilled in the Okongo and Oshikunde constituencies in 2014, saying that these boreholes were not yet functional.
Ndaitwah said the boreholes were drilled as an emergency measure to provide water to people and animals hard hit by the drought, but communities were not using them because they were not fitted with pumps.
At the time, the deputy permanent secretary of water affairs in the agriculture ministry, Abraham Nehemia, said the boreholes had been drilled as part of the N$100 million drought relief aid offered to Namibia by the South African government in 2013.
He said under the agreement, the drilling and the installation of the boreholes were supposed to be done by South African companies.
“These boreholes were funded by the South African government which also said their companies would do the work. After the boreholes were drilled, the South African government did not identify companies to do the installations. Currently, this has been resolved and they will be installed soon,” Nehemia said.
He said these companies had started installing pumps in boreholes drilled under the same programme in the Zambezi Region and would soon do the installations in Ohangwena.
ILENI NANDJATO
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