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Okalongo roads upgraded to ensure access to schools and clinics during eefundja

Okalongo roads upgraded to ensure access to schools and clinics during eefundja

Over the next two years, 128 km of sand tracks in the Okalongo disctrict close to the Angolan border will be upgraded to improve access to seven clinics and eighteen schools. These roads are notoriously unpredictable during the rainy season and when flooded, prevents patients from reaching clinics, or teachers and learners from attending school.

The groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday at Okalongo for this N$200 million project was attended by the Minister of Works and Transport, Hon Alpheus !Naruseb, the Chairperson of the Omusati Regional Council, Hon Modestus Amutse, the Chief Executive of the Roads Authority, Mr Conrad Lutombi, and the Councillor for Development Cooperation at the German Embassy, Ms Stella Seibert-Palascino. The road upgrade project is funded under a new project called “Adaptation of Roads in Northern Namibia to Climate Change.”

During the first phase, the surface of 23 access roads totalling 98 km will be elevated by between 30 cm and 50 and contoured to create a natural run-off so that these roads remain navigable despite being wet. The remaining 30 km of roads will be improved in the second phase.

“The works in Omusati will improve access to seven clinics that serve a potential 75,000 patients annually and 18 schools which employ 400 teachers and have 9000 learners,” said Ms Seibert-Palascino.

“It is evident that if teachers can’t reach schools, it has an impact on all learners and the continuation of education. And it does not need further explanation that better access to clinics in the rain season can have a life-saving character,” she said.

Six small contractors will be employed to build all 23 access roads. The project funding will be carried by the German Government with N$140 million while the Namibian government’s contribution is N$60 million.


Caption: Ms Stella Seibert-Palascino, the Councillor for Development Cooperation in the German Embassy, with the Minister of Works and Transport, Hon Alpheus !Naruseb, the Chairperson of the Omusati Regional Council, Hon Modestus Amutse and the Chief Executive of the Roads Authority, Mr Conrad Lutombi. The groundbreaking ceremony for the upgrading of 128 km of roads in Okalongo district was held on Thursday.


 

 

About The Author

Mandisa Rasmeni

Mandisa Rasmeni has worked as reporter at the Economist for the past five years, first on the entertainment beat but now focussing more on community, social and health reporting. She is a born writer and she believes education is the greatest equalizer. She received her degree in Journalism at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) in June 2021. . She is the epitome of perseverance, having started as the newspaper's receptionist in 2013.