Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, Lucia Witbooi on Friday held a consultative meeting with the Otjozondjupa Regional leadership to discuss the mass mobile registration of national documents in rural areas of the region.

Witbooi told the meeting, which was held in Otjiwarongo at the Otjozondjupa Regional Council chambers, that the registration of identification cards and birth certificates is for those who do not have them.

‘The registrations are taking place at all seven constituencies at mobile centres identified by the local leaderships in those rural areas since 08 February this year until end of July 2024,’ she said

She therefore urged parents of children with no national documents to walk to these centres and acquire birth certificates and identity cards for their children or themselves if they also do not have them.

In the Otjozondjupa Region so far, nearly 4 000 inhabitants have applied for their birth certificates and identity cards during this government outreach
programme at Omatako, Okahandja, Otavi, Grootfontein, Okakarara, Otjiwarongo and Tsumkwe constituencies, she said.

Otjozondjupa Governor, James Uerikua, on his part urged officials of the ministry participating in the registrations of the national documents to visit Tsumkwe Constituency and register all the San people with no documents as by their culture they would prefer to give birth at home rather than at hospitals.

‘Also there are five families who recently entered Namibia from Botswana on a repatriation arrangement, and these people are in Gam area, and should also be visited to see how they can be helped,’ said Uerikua.

The meeting was attended by officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture and constituency councillors.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency