DBN welcomes water-focused investments

The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) has urged local authorities to make use of its facilities in financing the rehabilitation of aging water infrastructure, and building new infrastructure in the future.
Addressing the current water security crisis facing central parts of Namibia, DBN CEO Martin Inkumbi last week said the development bank was well placed, and had the necessary experience to finance feasible projects with regard to improving water security.
Local municipalities, he said, were the immediate focus of the bank as they are the key providers of water to households and enterprises.
Besides assisting in infrastructural spending, Inkumbi said the bank would also consider financing projects meant to better the administration of water.
“By improving payment and administration systems for water, more funds can be released through local authorities to further develop the supply of water on a national level,” he said.
In terms of practical implementation, the bank said it recognised the effectiveness of public-private partnerships (PPP), and that its own assessment of such partnerships often proves a strong indicator of the project’s viability.
Furthermore, any enterprise with plans to implement new water efficient technologies, or who wish to rehabilitate existing technologies, were advised to get in contact with DBN.
Such investments, Inkumbi said, should be viewed as a means of sustaining the company into the future, rather than as an excessive expense.
In terms of financing major national projects, the DBN CEO suggested these would place strain on any single source of finance, thus syndicate finance, using a pool of local financial resources, would be better suited.

STAFF REPORTER