The high unemployment rate among the youth continues to be a serious burden for the |Khomas Region.

The chairperson of the |Khomas Regional Council says the region's unemployment rate stands at 31.5%.

Shaalukeni Moonde says, despite various interventions by the council, unemployment in the region is showing little sign of abating.

"We strive to uplift the livelihood of our region's inhabitants by implementing demand-driven programmes and timeously leveraging the resources at our disposal. I am therefore calling upon the political arm and the administrative arm to uphold the strong bond of working together as per our institutional culture and pull in the same direction to ensure that we restore the |Khomas residents' dignities and drive our community to prosperity."

To address unemployment, he says, the council will continue with its SME support programme called the Income Generating Activities Project, under which SMEs are assisted with equipment and input materials.

"A total of N$1.5 million is allocated for this programme, and the implementation of projects is at 12 different levels. An amount of N$1 million is redirected to implement minor projects in the region. As an institution, we are on a value drive, thus ensuring we invest where there is maximum return in trying to meet the development demand of our people. That is well enshrined in our motto, "We are not satisfied until you are.".

He also pointed out that urbanisation has also become a big issue for the region, saying it not only hampers their development plans but also affects service delivery.