The Kavango East Regional Council is happy with the decentralisation of the Ministry of Works and Transport's maintenance functions to the regional council.
Its chairperson, Damian Maghambayi, says this will expedite public infrastructure maintenance and increase regional participation.
Maghambayi says district gravel roads, among others, will greatly benefit from the decentralisation of functions as they have been neglected for a long time.
The Ministers of Works and Transport and of Urban and Rural Development, John Mutorwa and Erastus Utoni, signed the handover agreement outlining the delegated functions.
"We also have a problem in this region with rural water supply, which I also believe is decentralised. They are trying their level best to ensure that our people at the grassroots level get portable water, but we have the challenge of people stealing those properties. I think that's where the maintenance department must also come in and maybe design something that you can at least prevent these thieves from stealing these pumps," said Maghambayi.
The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development is mandated to coordinate the government's decentralisation drive through the Decentralisation Enabling Act of 2000.
Uutoni urged officials and councillors to ensure full accountability for the resources assigned to them along with their functions.
"As such, I am urging the Regional Council to ensure that, with the resources availed to you, the government facilities and infrastructure that are entrusted in your care receive timely attention. So embrace these functions and the accompanying resources, as well as the staff members, with enthusiasm, professionalism, and above all, with a sense of absolute dedication and accountability."
He wants to see the participation of the masses in decision-making processes that affect their lives.
"For decentralisation to be meaningful, it is essential that the general populace, who are the principal beneficiaries of the development we desire, do not remain passive actors in the decentralisation process."
Mutorwa urged officials to familiarise themselves with the provisions of the Decentralisation Act and the terms of the Decentralisation Agreement signed.
"The power is now directly in your hands, and the functions must be executed with the resources that are availed to you in terms of human resources staff, material resources that are needed, and financial resources that are needed. So why am I emphasising this point? Simply to say that sometimes staff are availed, resources are availed, but then because of many other pressing needs, you use that staff, you use the funds for something else, and then you have a problem."
The Ministry of Works will remain the custodian of the maintenance of schools, health facilities, and other government buildings, albeit with functions delegated to the region.
The government garage is next in line to be decentralised to the regions.