SWAKOPMUND: The Swakopmund Municipality and the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Agreement on the informal settlement upgrading programme.

The programme involves the conversion of shacks to permanent structures, which will not have all the finishes but will be equipped with essential services such as electric boxes and ablution facilities.

Launched in 2020, the programme is an approach to deliver affordable, decent houses for those with very minimal incomes and living in shacks in the DRC informal settlement.

The programme targets people earning between N.dollars 3 000 to N.dollars 5 000 per month and will be able to acquire housing units ranging between N.dollars 90 000 and N.dollars 250 000.

NHE Chief Executive Officer Gisbertus Mukulu said the agreement is meant to address the growing housing backlog in the country.

‘We know a majority of people are not able to afford houses, therefore we came up with this specific programme and established the target group who are c
urrently unable to afford decent housing,’ he explained.

Swakopmund Mayor Dina Namubes emphasised the mandate of local authorities to perform duties that are essential for the improvement of its residents, noting their significant role to providing decent housing and services.

She therefore stressed the importance of cooperation and cross subsidised knowledge, skills, resources, and expertise to combat challenges and improve service delivery for the benefit of the people.

‘As we all know, the banks and other financial institutions only help a specific set of people since they require pay slips, bank statements and employment confirmations.

As a result, those who are able to pay but are unable to produce the required documents are disadvantaged and left behind, which is a really sad and depressing aspect of life, and as the people’s representatives, we must intervene and offer our assistance,’ she expressed.

The mayor pointed out that most kapana vendors and other micro business owners have been able to s
ave as much as N.dollars 100 000 on their bank accounts, making unofficial contributions to the nation’s economic growth and aid in the fight against hunger and poverty.

The programme will commence as soon as funds, which are part of a budget by the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, are available.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency