NHE hands over 40 houses in Okakarara
Enzo Amuele
OKAKARARA
The National Housing Enterprise (NHE) handed over a total of 40 dwellings built through a public-private partnership in Okakarara on Monday under its strategic goal.
According to deputy minister of urban and rural development, Natalia /Goagoses, who officiated the event, Namibia has a housing shortage, and accomplishments like these show that both government and the private sector are responding to the need for housing.
“Even though the housing output we wish to see is far from what we are handing over here today, I strongly believe that many more houses were constructed and are being constructed by private sector partners countrywide and may not have been accounted for at platforms similar to this one,” she said.
/Goagoses went on to say that the goal of NHE is to minimise the housing backlog, which now stands at over 100 000 units, and that the organisation has set a goal of building 47 622 dwellings by 2030.
“By the time the NHE strategic plan ends in 2022/23, we will have seven years till 2030,” she said, urging sub-national entities to work with the enterprise to discover the best method for selling land so that these programmes can be carried out, which can only be done if inexpensive land is made available.
“The practice of dishing out land to individuals who only prospect it until they can resell it for profit is counterproductive to government efforts to provide affordable housing to residents. “Regional councils, town councils and the private sector, let us work together in this quest to provide houses to our residents,” she said.
Improving lives
According to Okakarara mayor Olga Tjiurutue, housing remains a priority area for our government, which is why the town council has demonstrated how serious it is by improving people's quality of life.
“The project we are witnessing today has covered both rural and urban areas, reaching an average of 1 300 families per year. The central principle is to give people control and access to national housing infrastructure and finances,” she said.
NHE is expected to hand over 72 houses in Karibib next week and 77 in Keetmanshoop next month.
Gerson Aib (34), one of the Okakarara beneficiaries, commended NHE for making his dreams of owning a home a reality.
“It has not been easy. Finally, we are here today to receive our keys. My children can finally come for holidays as I now have a house of my own,” he said.
OKAKARARA
The National Housing Enterprise (NHE) handed over a total of 40 dwellings built through a public-private partnership in Okakarara on Monday under its strategic goal.
According to deputy minister of urban and rural development, Natalia /Goagoses, who officiated the event, Namibia has a housing shortage, and accomplishments like these show that both government and the private sector are responding to the need for housing.
“Even though the housing output we wish to see is far from what we are handing over here today, I strongly believe that many more houses were constructed and are being constructed by private sector partners countrywide and may not have been accounted for at platforms similar to this one,” she said.
/Goagoses went on to say that the goal of NHE is to minimise the housing backlog, which now stands at over 100 000 units, and that the organisation has set a goal of building 47 622 dwellings by 2030.
“By the time the NHE strategic plan ends in 2022/23, we will have seven years till 2030,” she said, urging sub-national entities to work with the enterprise to discover the best method for selling land so that these programmes can be carried out, which can only be done if inexpensive land is made available.
“The practice of dishing out land to individuals who only prospect it until they can resell it for profit is counterproductive to government efforts to provide affordable housing to residents. “Regional councils, town councils and the private sector, let us work together in this quest to provide houses to our residents,” she said.
Improving lives
According to Okakarara mayor Olga Tjiurutue, housing remains a priority area for our government, which is why the town council has demonstrated how serious it is by improving people's quality of life.
“The project we are witnessing today has covered both rural and urban areas, reaching an average of 1 300 families per year. The central principle is to give people control and access to national housing infrastructure and finances,” she said.
NHE is expected to hand over 72 houses in Karibib next week and 77 in Keetmanshoop next month.
Gerson Aib (34), one of the Okakarara beneficiaries, commended NHE for making his dreams of owning a home a reality.
“It has not been easy. Finally, we are here today to receive our keys. My children can finally come for holidays as I now have a house of my own,” he said.
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