Oniipa residents benefit from MTC’s Land Delivery Project – 113 title deeds handed over
At least 113 residents of Oniipa town last week become proud landowners following the handing over of title deeds to residential plots as the first beneficiaries of the MTC Land Delivery Project.
Launched last year, the MTC Land Delivery Project is a three-year-long programme designed to address the issue of landlessness in selected towns, by availing and delivering affordable land to low-income earners through Development Workshop Namibia (DWN).
Having partnered with Oniipa town council and the Oniipa Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) in addressing landlessness, the project aims to collaborate with local authorities willing to avail land at a reduced cost to assist low-income households to obtain land in municipal districts, by providing low-cost service plots in selected towns at an affordable price.
At the plots handover ceremony in Oniipa, MTC’s Managing Director, Dr Licky Erastus explained that “The MTC Land Delivery Project is designed to enable you to acquire at least a 300 square meter piece of land at a reasonable price as low as N$15,000. Pay it off over 12 months, own the title deed to the land, and with that certificate, gain access to financing for the construction of your house.”
“MTC has therefore committed a sum of N$2 million to aid selected local authorities to deliver 1585 low-cost land for housing in four towns by end of September this year. Of the four towns, Oniipa is the first one to benefit – getting 113 plots. The subsequently planned towns are Okakarara to receive 707 plots, Stampriet 282, and Otjiwarongo 483.”
“If one can get land at a reasonable price in the shortest time possible, it becomes the stepping-stone
towards regularizing informal communities while creating a land ownership economy for all Namibians,” said Dr Erastus.
The Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni, said, “The Namibian population continues to grow, resulting in more residents demanding the house. To this effect, the government, through my ministry has re-doubled efforts to provide access to housing for all citizens. However, joint efforts are essential because the government alone cannot remedy the land and housing issue.”
Taking the current housing market prices into consideration, minister Uutoni, emphasised that “The government will continue to create an enabling environment, and therefore, public and private sectors are encouraged to pull resources and put efforts together for inclusive, equitable and innovative strategies, such as the MTC Land Delivery initiative.”
Her Worship, Deputy Mayor of Oniipa, Councilor Patemoshala Nakanyala complimented MTC for its effort to land delivery and congratulated the beneficiaries of the new plots; while reassuring the populace of Oniipa of the council’s commitment to service delivery.
