Onakankuzi residents demand water from regional council


ONAKANKUZI: Residents of Onakankuzi village in the Omuthiya Constituency of the Oshikoto Region have expressed concern about water difficulties in their village.

A total of 97 residents from 94 households attended a village meeting on Thursday where they discussed challenges they face with various directorates of the Oshikoto Regional Council.

The village’s headman, Leevi Nangolo explained that they have a critical challenge of water and urged NamWater to extend their pipelines to their village because people currently depend on traditional wells.

Nangolo said residents from his community depend on salty and smelly water from traditional wells and thus called on the regional council to construct an earth dam for their animals.

‘People are also using drugs, fighting and committing crimes such as stock theft,’ added Nangolo.

He said they lack recreational facilities, sanitation and electricity.

The directorate of water supply and sanitation representative at the meeting, Asser Iimbondi urged the community
to follow the procedures put in place to acquire a pipeline.

‘You should write a letter specifying how many households and animals will depend on this water and the distance it will cover in kilometres to the regional council and the directorate of rural water supply,’ said Iimbondi.

He added that people should stop complaining that they do not have water in their houses and act so they can acquire water.

‘We need to step up, people should come and remind us at our offices that they need water,’ said Iimbondi.

Iimbondi further said people have a tendency to take things for granted once they do get water and in such cases stop paying their water bills.

‘If you do not pay your water bills then we will cut your water,’ he said.

Iimbondi further said that if the community wants water tankers they should organise themselves and go to NamWater and pay to get water.

Oshikoto Regional Council chairperson, Samuel Shivute was accompanied by various directorates from the regional council such as the directorate o
f gender equality, poverty eradication and social welfare, directorate of water supply, sanitation and coordination and the Ministry of Home Affairs and Social Services.

Shivute encouraged the residents of Onakankuzi to refrain from criminal activities.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency