Residents of Iingapanda Village in the Omusati Region are still waiting for approval to build a community clinic, despite securing funding and completing the required documentation.

According to Project Treasurer Ben Shingenge, the foundation was completed two years ago, but construction has not started because the community is still waiting for approval from the Ministry of Health and Social Services.

Shingenge warned that the delay is frustrating residents and could put the project's funding and costs at risk.

"Now, for someone who offered to fund this project four years ago, we are not only frustrated but also face two significant risks. Firstly, he may decide to withdraw his support and invest in other projects that do not require ministerial approval. Secondly, this project is likely to incur much higher costs than originally anticipated four years ago."

Residents struggle with poor roads, long distances, and no access during the rainy season.

The foundation for the proposed clinic was completed two years ago. The same sponsor also built the community school in Iingapanda, which was later handed over to the government.

"As a village, we felt fortunate that one of our own took the initiative to build a clinic for us. We submitted our request to the Ministry, and he even went there personally to follow up. However, we do not understand why the Ministry has not approved the project, despite having already provided us with the plan. It is disheartening because I believed this project aligned with the President's call for the nation to partner with the government. The sponsor answered that call, and that is precisely what he did."

Construction is currently stalled, waiting for the Ministry of Health's approval.

Ogongo Constituency Councillor Daniel Ilende said his office submitted the project through regional authorities to central government.

"Our office's role is actually to facilitate this activity. Budgets do not come to the constituency office. Budgets, they either come in the region. So things like this one, the budget, are only at the central government headquarters. So what we expect is then that the region helps to facilitate our submission to the central government. I'm well informed that they have submitted to the central government. But now the problem is with the central government. The central government is not answering us."

Ilende said the community is angry and has yet to receive a clear response from the Ministry and is calling on officials responsible for infrastructure development to treat the matter with urgency.