N$100m to pay out farmers
The expanding town of Helao Nafidi in its recent council-approved 2017/18 budget indicated that they will need roughly N$100 million to compensate crop farmers.
The costly financial exercise will be funded by the capital development fund which has secured financial resources as government only approved an amount of close to N$11 million towards Helao Nafidi for capital projects this
year.
Ever since it was proclaimed a town in 2004 it has been one of the local authorities faced with many challenges pertaining to the expansion of its boundaries to acquire land for development projects in the three districts of Oshikango, Engela and Ohangwena.
This is reason for budgeting N$100 million from the capital development fund of just over N$110 million for compensation to crop farmers while N$8 million has been budgeted for the construction of services and infrastructure at Engela and Omafo.
Further to this, council also budgeted N$1.4 million for the maintenance of roads, N$1 million for electrified street lights on the main road and N$250 000 for the upgrading of the business expo centre.
For the year 2017/18 council has approved a budgeted amount of close to N$55 million, including the source of funding for capital projects.
This however, still needs to be sent to the urban and rural development ministry for approval.
Council has also increased some of its tariffs to meet inflationary costs which is said to be in line with ministerial directives of 2017.
Water, sewage, removal of sewerage water, renting of council's immovable and movable property and the approval of building plans have been increased by 10% while sanitation services and issuing of fitness certificates have increased with 8 and 20% respectively.
With over N$15 million budgeted for salaries, a N$2 million increase from that of approved last year, salary increments have been restricted to the new standardised salary structure where staff members who were at middle level will be upgraded while those who were at lower level have been moved to middle level.
An estimated amount of N$110 000 has been budgeted for travelling and subsistence (S&T) which is N$10 000 more than what was approved in the 2016/17 budget.
KENYA KAMBOWE
The costly financial exercise will be funded by the capital development fund which has secured financial resources as government only approved an amount of close to N$11 million towards Helao Nafidi for capital projects this
year.
Ever since it was proclaimed a town in 2004 it has been one of the local authorities faced with many challenges pertaining to the expansion of its boundaries to acquire land for development projects in the three districts of Oshikango, Engela and Ohangwena.
This is reason for budgeting N$100 million from the capital development fund of just over N$110 million for compensation to crop farmers while N$8 million has been budgeted for the construction of services and infrastructure at Engela and Omafo.
Further to this, council also budgeted N$1.4 million for the maintenance of roads, N$1 million for electrified street lights on the main road and N$250 000 for the upgrading of the business expo centre.
For the year 2017/18 council has approved a budgeted amount of close to N$55 million, including the source of funding for capital projects.
This however, still needs to be sent to the urban and rural development ministry for approval.
Council has also increased some of its tariffs to meet inflationary costs which is said to be in line with ministerial directives of 2017.
Water, sewage, removal of sewerage water, renting of council's immovable and movable property and the approval of building plans have been increased by 10% while sanitation services and issuing of fitness certificates have increased with 8 and 20% respectively.
With over N$15 million budgeted for salaries, a N$2 million increase from that of approved last year, salary increments have been restricted to the new standardised salary structure where staff members who were at middle level will be upgraded while those who were at lower level have been moved to middle level.
An estimated amount of N$110 000 has been budgeted for travelling and subsistence (S&T) which is N$10 000 more than what was approved in the 2016/17 budget.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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