Vice President Lucia Witbooi has called on marginalised communities in Omaheke Region to develop a strong sense of ownership over state-sponsored community projects.

Witbooi concluded a weeklong regional visit, making a point of engaging with marginalised communities to get briefed on their living conditions.

Witbooi was pleased to relay notable progress on various projects implemented by the government and its key partners.

Yet she noted that communities are not showing enough initiative to stand at the forefront of these.

A lack of a sense of ownership, she says, hinders the development potential. 

Concerns recorded and to be addressed include a lack of proper housing, health facilities and transportation, as well as a lack of water for community gardens to thrive.

"To take ownership when the government brings something to them or whoever donors bring something for them or anybody, they must own the projects and make sure to migrate from the situation in which they are so that others can come and ask, as at the end of the day we want all of them to migrate and come into the mainstream of one Namibia, one nation," responded Witbooi. 

The Chairperson of the Omaheke Regional Council, Rocco Nguvauva, stressed the long road ahead towards development, and 

urged local entrepreneurs to strive for sustainability.

"Most of the complaints that they were raising, especially regarding the land, were because the traditional leaders know that the government provided the land, but the community does not know, but it was ironed out that they can go and farm and they should go and do their projects, and you can even see where we are here that the projects that were given are just there in the containers and haven't been used, and mind yourself, if they can even do welding, trailers, and bricklaying, they will even go far with that."

Nguvauva said the council would ensure continuous monitoring and mentorship on these projects to obtain optimum benefit for the communities.