The Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises, Iipumbu Shiimi, reiterated the significance of engaging with ||Kharas regional leadership during a meeting held in Keetmanshoop.

He emphasised the importance of consulting with stakeholders to effectively address and incorporate their budgetary needs.

The consultations with regional councillors and local authorities in the region are aimed at understanding the current pressing financial needs and planning for next year's budget.

"We are sitting there in Windhoek without all the information, so we want to speak to those who have information about the needs of the people in our communities in our local authorities. What are the needs of our people? Because we as a government are there to facilitate development, you are the actual players when it comes to the delivery of services to the people," said Shiimi.

The finance minister equally called on residents of the southern regions to take advantage of a number of new activities and spinoffs as a result of the discovery of oil and gas and the development of green hydrogen.

"This region is going to have a number of new activities because of the discovery of oil and gas and the new industry that is emerging of green hydrogen, so we need to ask these questions: how do you make sure that our people who are here are well equipped to take advantage of these opportunities that are emerging?"