Despite the economic fallout caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development said it has achieved its goal of delivering 200 residential units.
This is part of phase one of the informal settlement upgrading housing pilot project. Minister Erastus Uutoni made the remarks yesterday during the handing over of 131 houses constructed under the pilot project at Okuryangava in Windhoek.
“I want to reiterate that the need for improved coordination and a collaborative approach has become even more important in the face of obvious increased challenges of low economic growth and reduced fiscal space, which have been worsened by the huge negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Today, I am pleased to inform this gathering that we have achieved our goal of delivering 200 houses in phase one,” he said.
He further said the ministry is also pursuing and implementing other complementing interventions to scale up and accelerate access to tenure security, proper sanitation and housing. “I have directed all local authorities to undertake similar affordable urban land and housing delivery in their localities through initiatives such as the Build Together housing schemes as well as in partnerships with like-minded private and community organisations such as the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia,” added Uutoni.
The minister further said they are rolling out the flexible land tenure programme, which confers land hold ownership in a simpler way and also empowers and enables members of the community to mobilise resources and build their own homes at their own pace and according to their affordability levels.
According to Uutoni, the formal processes of land ownership registration as well as transfers and interim measures such as the issuance of certificates of land occupation by local authorities such as Windhoek and others are underway.
“I wish to once again assure you all that the Namibian government through the urban and development ministry will continue providing the needed support to the families to acquire shelter, access to affordable land and benefits from infrastructural development, especially in the informal settlements,” he said.