Revised National Housing Policy and Implementation Plan approved by Cabinet

By Adolf Kaure.

The Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Hon Peya Mushelenga said that Cabinet has approved the revised National Housing Policy and Implementation Plan when he made the nineteenth Cabinet session announcement on Thursday.

The revised National Housing Policy and Implementation Plan was submitted by the Minister Of Rural And Urban Development, Hon.Erastus Uutoni.

According to Mushelenga, Cabinet has approved the revised National Housing Policy, its implementation Action Plan and related estimated financial implications to enable improved access to housing, as the basis for inclusive and sustainable economic development.

“Special focus on nation-wide upgrading of informal settlements and proactive incremental land servicing, to enable diversified array of housing provision mechanisms to occur,” he said when outlining one of the objectives of the revised policy.

During a visit to Swakopmund in July, to handover 108 Mass Housing Programme homes to the coastal town’s residents, Uunoti emphasised the importance of finalising the policy.

“Decent shelter is a basic necessity of life, and as a government of the people, we believe that it is justified for the citizens to expect to have a place that they call their own and to meet their dwelling and survival needs,” he said.

“I am informed that a new draft National Housing Policy with a comprehensive implementation strategy is at an advanced stage, and is envisaged to be finalised during the current financial year.”

“I am hereby directing the office of the Executive Director to see to it that this important policy is duly finalised,” he said.

The revised policy is intended to ensure optimal attainment of several objectives.

“Establishment of a structured Housing Subsidiary Framework, which focuses on channelling public expenditure to support the lowest (ultra-low and low) income groups where the human development impact and multiplier effects are most effective.”

“Another objective is to prioritize and redistribute state resources to the lowest income groups through intensified and mixed-use urban development.”

“This will contribute to a socio-economic empowerment impact on the majority of the population and create opportunities for sustainable and inclusive economic growth,” said Mushelenga.

The enhancement of partnerships and an incremental development approach at all levels is another objective of the policy and the implementation plan.

Developing the required capacities, and more inclusive as well as agile structures and mechanisms to ensure the effective implementation and to monitor and evaluate the Policy Implementation Action Plan, is also required.