Kharas Governor Aletha Frederick has called on Government to fast-track the upgrading of the Keetmanshoop-Aroab road in order to provide rural communities with access to essential services.

Frederick made the call on Tuesday when she received members of the National Council Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Roads. The committee is in the region on a three-day oversight visit to familiarise themselves with the conditions of the road network, as well as access to various schools and healthcare facilities in rural areas.

She said when heavy rains are experienced, it becomes a challenge for the community of Aroab and surrounding areas to travel to Keetmanshoop to access services as the road is washed away.

Aroab is a village located some 170 kilometres south-east of Keetmanshoop.

Frederick said other roads that need to be upgraded are the Tses-Berseba road, the Noordower-Chibela road and the Rosh Pinah-Aussenkehr road

“As for the Rosh Pinah-Aussenkehr road, a feasibility study was done and the road is viable and it should be part and parcel of the master plan to upgrade it. Once upgraded, it will make it easy for trucks transporting commodities from Ariamsvlei to take that road,” she said.

On his part the committee chairperson, Alfeus Kaushiweni, said as much as Namibia is ranked number one when it comes to national road connectivity, the same cannot be said when it comes to the rural areas.

“We still have a challenge in the rural areas as our people there cannot get to the necessary services such as schools and clinics during the rainy season. We now have to see where the lack of connectivity is so that we compile a good report for the House for adoption and make sure it is gazetted and sent to the executive for implementation,” he said.

The committee will also conduct meetings with various stakeholders at Aussenkehr, Rosh Pinah and Lüderitz, as well as officials from the Ministry of Works and Transport to discuss challenges they face when it comes to the construction and maintenance of roads.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency