The Urban and Rural Development Minister has commended the Opuwo Town Council for developing collaborative methods to address the town's housing backlog, particularly their dedication to low-income earners.
Erastus Uutoni acknowledged the council's turnaround strategy that has resulted in several equitable service delivery milestones over the last five years.
Uutoni made these remarks during the official handover of 30 Build Together houses, the opening of the Katutura open market slaughterhouse, and the ground-breaking event for a welcoming sign at the town's main entrance.
The 30 houses handed over were constructed with additional funding from the Regional Development and Equity Provision through the Build Together Programme Trust Fund.
Uutoni commended the good relations between the town's leadership and the traditional leaders, stating that convincing traditional leaders to extend the town boundaries is usually not easy, but the Opuwo leadership managed.
"You have tried your level best; you know it's not easy to convince our traditional leaders to extend the borders; it's a tough process. But because you have that good working relationship, you managed to have the extension of the town unreached, and today, now you have a sight where we are going to put up a sign, a welcome sign somewhere there, congratulations, and can we not give them a big hand?"
The minister also stated that the ministry continues to create an enabling environment to solve the housing backlog through a variety of collaborative interventions.
"So the provision of affordable and decent housing and sheltering remains a national development guarantee that requires collective action from the government at all levels, the communities, and other role players, such as the private sector in the form of the construction industry and financial institutions."
Amongst the 30 beneficiaries is 51-year-old Uakarenda Mbinge, a cleaner at the Opuwo State Hospital who is thankful for her dream that became a reality.
"As the Himba people, who live a nomadic lifestyle of not having houses, we are privileged to have a brick house with water and electricity, and it's a new thing to myself and my family. I have a place to stay when we come into town from the villages because most himba's don't have houses in towns like Opuwo. I've been on the waiting list for 19 years since I applied in 2005. I urge those on these waiting lists to remain patient while awaiting approval because their time will come."