Minister defends Oropoko buy

The purchase of Oropoko Lodge by the defence force was discussed in depth in parliament on Tuesday.

The defence minister, Penda Ya Ndakolo, addressed the issue of President Hage Geingob, commander-in-chief of the Namibian Defence Force, having been unaware of the purchase.

The minister said Geingob's busy schedule prevented him from discussing the matter with him. He added that negotiations began in April 2016 already, with the sale finalised in October last year.

Ya Ndakolo said the president has now been properly briefed on the matter.

Oropoko game farm situated near Okahandja was bought from German investor Kurt Steinhausen, who is a close friend of former President Sam Nujoma's.

Ya Ndakolo explained that when the NDF was established on 2 June 1990 there was insufficient infrastructure to house the new national defence force.

According to him most of the military bases were built from prefabricated materials and were dilapidated, while some of the facilities that had belonged to the South African Defence Force were tuned into private property before independence.

“The defence ministry found itself with a serious need to develop existing infrastructure and to acquire land to build bases and training areas.”

According to Ya Ndakolo, it is for this reason that on 24 September 2010 the ministry acquired Etiro farm in the Karibib area to establish a shooting range for the Air Force and a base for one NDF unit.

He said a feasibility study on the establishment of the base at Etiro was completed in October 2013 and the estimated cost was approximately N$2.37 billion.

“This amount was found to be too high and therefore a decision was made to develop the base in phases, starting with accommodation facilities for 300 soldiers only.”

The cost estimate for that phase was N$394 million as at 7 April 2016.

That equated N$1.31 million per soldier. According to Ya Ndakolo phase one of the project was registered with the National Planning Commission at an estimated cost of N$500 million.

He said while the defence ministry was pondering this expensive project, an offer to purchase Oropoko was made on 6 April 2016 through the legal firm Engling, Stritter and Partners.

At that time the purchase price was set at N$103 million.

According to the minister on 6 July 2016 the defence ministry requested the works ministry to evaluate the farm. It was valued at N$43.76 million.

The cost of the two options was then compared, said Ya Ndakolo.

“Looking at these two options the defence ministry was then only left with the cost-saving option, which was to buy Oropoko farm and have the unit accommodated there immediately.”

Following negotiations between the ministry and the owner of Oropoko, a selling price of N$45 million was agreed upon.

Oropoko was registered in the name of the government on 23 October last year and the unit earmarked for the base has since been moved there.

The minister said the purchase of Oropoko was done in accordance with all stipulated procedures and the contract was scrutinised by the attorney-general. Payment was done through the finance ministry.

He added that the defence ministry was overseeing the implementation of the NDF's ten-year development plan. Among its programmes is infrastructure development.

This development plan was approved by the Defence Staff Council, which is the highest decision-making body of the defence ministry.

Ya Ndakolo said Oropoko has well-developed infrastructure such as accommodation for up to 300 soldiers, a landing strip, helicopter landing pad, shooting range, swimming pool, laundry, conference centre, mechanical workshop and independent water infrastructure.

Besides being connected to the national grid it has a local electricity generating capacity.

The official opposition Popular Democratic Movement this week said the NDF was out of control and leading corruption in the country by wasting taxpayers' money without having to give account.

The party insisted that an asset list must be presented to parliament, containing the number and species of all the animals on Oropoko, the buildings and other infrastructure.

ELLANIE SMIT