N$360m to service land nationwide
Informal settlements get N$193m worth of upgrades
The new housing policy and action plan, which was approved by the Cabinet in November, is now being implemented.
The ministry of urban and rural development has budgeted N$360 million for the mass servicing of urban land nationwide for the current financial year.
A total of N$193.6 million has also been made available for the upgrading of informal settlements, while N$221.8 million will be divided between the government's mass housing programme, the Build Together programme and the Shack-Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN).
The ministry will also, in this financial year, release N$91 million to Lüderitz and N$50 million to Aus for the development of infrastructure needed for the giant green hydrogen initiative planned for the deep south.
Minister Erastus Uutoni, in a recent presentation in Parliament on his ministry's budget, said a total of N$1.2 billion is budgeted for the new financial year for development nationwide, of which N$1.07 billion is specifically for the programme for urban and rural planning, infrastructure and support housing.
Between 1 April 2023 and 31 December 2023, the ministry recorded several achievements. Of these, Uutoni highlighted the proclamation of 26 new informal settlements as well as the full servicing of 3 103 plots, while 4 791 were partially serviced.
The minister said the new housing policy and action plan, which was approved by the Cabinet in November, is now being implemented. It calls for greater government funding for housing.
Water debt
The ministry is also making N$250 million available to help local authorities pay off debts incurred to NamWater during the pandemic. Another N$56 million is budgeted from a water-debt programme for regional councils, local authorities and traditional authorities.
Meanwhile, N$120 million has been budgeted for rural development, with N$31 million earmarked for sanitation. Over the course of the previous financial year, regional councils were able to build 600 toilets, according to Uutoni.
Last year, a total of 134 income-generating projects were funded, including food and money-for-work, while in the new financial year, N$8.8 million is budgeted for this purpose, he said.
Rural development centres offering community outreach services will get N$95 million, while N$35.5 million has been earmarked for the construction of centres at Rupara in the Kavango West Region, Masokotwane in Zambezi, Eembaxu in Ohangwena, Ongongo in Omusati, Snyfontein in //Karas, Gibeon in Hardap, Ben-Hur in Omaheke and Okashana in Oshikoto.
Open markets
Almost N$113.3 million has been allocated for the overview and supervision of core functions at the ministry, regional councils and local authorities. Furthermore, regional councils, local authorities and traditional authorities get a budget of N$1.26 billion for the new financial year, with N$904 million intended for grants.
From the same programme in favour of regional councils, local authorities and traditional authorities, the ministry plans to revise the law on local authorities and the law on the council of traditional authorities. Furthermore, the local economic development white paper has been transformed into a national regional and local economic development policy.
Ten open markets in Bukalo, Eenhana, Keetmanshoop, Okakarara, Omaruru, Omuthiya, Opuwo, Oshivelo and Outjo are being upgraded or built.
The ministry's entire budget of N$2.59 billion for the financial year is more than the N$1.88 billion budgeted for the previous financial year.
A total of N$193.6 million has also been made available for the upgrading of informal settlements, while N$221.8 million will be divided between the government's mass housing programme, the Build Together programme and the Shack-Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN).
The ministry will also, in this financial year, release N$91 million to Lüderitz and N$50 million to Aus for the development of infrastructure needed for the giant green hydrogen initiative planned for the deep south.
Minister Erastus Uutoni, in a recent presentation in Parliament on his ministry's budget, said a total of N$1.2 billion is budgeted for the new financial year for development nationwide, of which N$1.07 billion is specifically for the programme for urban and rural planning, infrastructure and support housing.
Between 1 April 2023 and 31 December 2023, the ministry recorded several achievements. Of these, Uutoni highlighted the proclamation of 26 new informal settlements as well as the full servicing of 3 103 plots, while 4 791 were partially serviced.
The minister said the new housing policy and action plan, which was approved by the Cabinet in November, is now being implemented. It calls for greater government funding for housing.
Water debt
The ministry is also making N$250 million available to help local authorities pay off debts incurred to NamWater during the pandemic. Another N$56 million is budgeted from a water-debt programme for regional councils, local authorities and traditional authorities.
Meanwhile, N$120 million has been budgeted for rural development, with N$31 million earmarked for sanitation. Over the course of the previous financial year, regional councils were able to build 600 toilets, according to Uutoni.
Last year, a total of 134 income-generating projects were funded, including food and money-for-work, while in the new financial year, N$8.8 million is budgeted for this purpose, he said.
Rural development centres offering community outreach services will get N$95 million, while N$35.5 million has been earmarked for the construction of centres at Rupara in the Kavango West Region, Masokotwane in Zambezi, Eembaxu in Ohangwena, Ongongo in Omusati, Snyfontein in //Karas, Gibeon in Hardap, Ben-Hur in Omaheke and Okashana in Oshikoto.
Open markets
Almost N$113.3 million has been allocated for the overview and supervision of core functions at the ministry, regional councils and local authorities. Furthermore, regional councils, local authorities and traditional authorities get a budget of N$1.26 billion for the new financial year, with N$904 million intended for grants.
From the same programme in favour of regional councils, local authorities and traditional authorities, the ministry plans to revise the law on local authorities and the law on the council of traditional authorities. Furthermore, the local economic development white paper has been transformed into a national regional and local economic development policy.
Ten open markets in Bukalo, Eenhana, Keetmanshoop, Okakarara, Omaruru, Omuthiya, Opuwo, Oshivelo and Outjo are being upgraded or built.
The ministry's entire budget of N$2.59 billion for the financial year is more than the N$1.88 billion budgeted for the previous financial year.
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