N$6m property 'unfit for humans'
The Ohangwena regional council says a rundown property, purchased at a cost of N$6 million by the government and currently accommodating over 100 pupils at Omungwelume, is not fit for use by humans.
In an interview with Namibian Sun, council chairperson Ericson Ndawanifa said they had visited the house and found it in dilapidated state, and pupils were living in harsh conditions.
About 118 grade 11 and 12 pupils from Omungwelume Senior Secondary School are accommodated in the house following a verbal instruction from Ohangwena governor Usko Nghaamwa.
The property was bought by the government last year from former Oshana governor Sylvanus Vatuva, who received a massive N$6 million windfall for his rundown property and mahangu field.
“After the council was informed by the settlement office that over 80 pupils from Omungwelume Senior Secondary School have already occupied this house, as illegal hostel accommodation, council officials including myself went to visit this place and we found occupants not living in a good condition,” Ndawanifa said.
He said toilets were not functioning and electricity was not properly installed.
He said they were not going to evict the learners, but they would not be held accountable if anything happened.
“Fortunately the regional council has not passed a resolution for this house to be used. Fortunately we have not discussed the issue of these learners to be accommodated.
“So we will not be held accountable. Unless the office of the governor can give us a written directive that we can discuss in the council meeting,” he said.
Ndawanifa added that before the government compensated the owner, the house was in a good condition.
He said the council was planning to use it as offices for Omungwelume settlement officials.
“Later they informed us that the house was falling apart. A team of officials led by our director of general services went to inspect the building and they came back with a report that the premises were not fit to accommodate human beings. The regional council declared the property unfit for humans,” Ndawanifa said.
He said the council was not sure whether the owner of the property vandalised it after he was compensated or whether it was vandalised by the community.
Following an earlier visit this year, Nghaamwa ordered that learners be accommodated in the vacant house that the council had acquired last year. School principal George Nanghanda said parents had contributed money and the house was renovated.
He said learners would continue to live on the premises, as they had the blessing of the governor, who was also supporting them with food.
“When they returned back from holidays on Sunday they came straight to this house. All we need is the regional council to approve our request for us to use this house as our hostel. There are more rooms that we need to renovate so that we can accommodate more learners.”
Nanghanda said before Nghaamwa visited the school they had already submitted a request to the regional council to accommodate learners in the house.
The council, however, did not respond to them “on time”.
“When the governor visited their school and briefed him on the situation, he made a decision that the learners be accommodated in the house.
“Since the house was vandalised by community members after the owner left, parents solicited money to have the premises renovated. Just after the learners moved in, a letter came in from the regional council that our request was rejected,” Nanghanda added.
Nghaamwa said all he was doing was to create a conducive environment for the learners who did not have decent accommodation.
He said soon after the learners occupied the house, the water was disconnected by the regional council.
He asked the ministry of agriculture to provide them with water, which they did. He said these learners were from far-flung places throughout his vast region and did not have relatives at Omungwelume.
ILENI NANDJATO
In an interview with Namibian Sun, council chairperson Ericson Ndawanifa said they had visited the house and found it in dilapidated state, and pupils were living in harsh conditions.
About 118 grade 11 and 12 pupils from Omungwelume Senior Secondary School are accommodated in the house following a verbal instruction from Ohangwena governor Usko Nghaamwa.
The property was bought by the government last year from former Oshana governor Sylvanus Vatuva, who received a massive N$6 million windfall for his rundown property and mahangu field.
“After the council was informed by the settlement office that over 80 pupils from Omungwelume Senior Secondary School have already occupied this house, as illegal hostel accommodation, council officials including myself went to visit this place and we found occupants not living in a good condition,” Ndawanifa said.
He said toilets were not functioning and electricity was not properly installed.
He said they were not going to evict the learners, but they would not be held accountable if anything happened.
“Fortunately the regional council has not passed a resolution for this house to be used. Fortunately we have not discussed the issue of these learners to be accommodated.
“So we will not be held accountable. Unless the office of the governor can give us a written directive that we can discuss in the council meeting,” he said.
Ndawanifa added that before the government compensated the owner, the house was in a good condition.
He said the council was planning to use it as offices for Omungwelume settlement officials.
“Later they informed us that the house was falling apart. A team of officials led by our director of general services went to inspect the building and they came back with a report that the premises were not fit to accommodate human beings. The regional council declared the property unfit for humans,” Ndawanifa said.
He said the council was not sure whether the owner of the property vandalised it after he was compensated or whether it was vandalised by the community.
Following an earlier visit this year, Nghaamwa ordered that learners be accommodated in the vacant house that the council had acquired last year. School principal George Nanghanda said parents had contributed money and the house was renovated.
He said learners would continue to live on the premises, as they had the blessing of the governor, who was also supporting them with food.
“When they returned back from holidays on Sunday they came straight to this house. All we need is the regional council to approve our request for us to use this house as our hostel. There are more rooms that we need to renovate so that we can accommodate more learners.”
Nanghanda said before Nghaamwa visited the school they had already submitted a request to the regional council to accommodate learners in the house.
The council, however, did not respond to them “on time”.
“When the governor visited their school and briefed him on the situation, he made a decision that the learners be accommodated in the house.
“Since the house was vandalised by community members after the owner left, parents solicited money to have the premises renovated. Just after the learners moved in, a letter came in from the regional council that our request was rejected,” Nanghanda added.
Nghaamwa said all he was doing was to create a conducive environment for the learners who did not have decent accommodation.
He said soon after the learners occupied the house, the water was disconnected by the regional council.
He asked the ministry of agriculture to provide them with water, which they did. He said these learners were from far-flung places throughout his vast region and did not have relatives at Omungwelume.
ILENI NANDJATO
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