The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform said it has received an additional list of over 160 schools that require water, especially in the Kavango East, Zambezi, Omusati, Oshikoto, Ohangwena, Kavango West and Kunene regions.
Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Calle Schlettwein, said this in a statement read on his behalf at the event recognizing the Open Defecation Free Status of sections of the Samora Machel and Moses //Garoeb constituencies in Windhoek on Saturday.
“My ministry has been mandated to provide access to portable water to rural communities and resettlement farmers and contribute towards the provision of improved sanitation services to all beneficiaries of its programmes and projects,” Schlettwein is quoted as saying.
He said with regard to sanitation coordination, the country is not doing so well, thus, the ministry has embarked on practical efforts aimed at scaling up construction of sanitation facilities countrywide.
Schlettwein explained that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ministry collaborated with the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture to connect over 200 schools to water sources across the country.
However, the ministry recently received an additional list of over 160 schools that require water.
“The ministry has begun to address this request. Through the Namibia Water Sector Support Program, we will construct sanitation facilities at 56 schools, 15 clinics across the country and public places respectively,” he noted.
The key targets for 2023 are,the establishment of a reliable early warning system, commencement of the bidding process for Oshakati Treatment Plant, Ohangwena Wellfield, Ruacana South Water Supply Scheme (WSS), Katima-Kongola WSS, and Iitapa – Okeeholongo WSS, he said.
Other key targets include the drilling of boreholes for crocodile prone villages along the rivers, finalization of negotiations with Angola on the commissioning of Caluegue pumpstation, the finalisation of negotiations with South Africa on the Orange River and the desire by Namibia to construct a dam at Vioolsdrift.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency