The President of the Association for Local Authorities in Namibia has called on the local authorities to focus on housing delivery instead of focusing on making massive profits from such services.

Dr. Samuel !Oe-Amseb was speaking at the official opening of the first-ever ALAN Land and Housing Strategic seminar at Walvis Bay.

Dr  !Oe-Amseb says efforts being made by the central government need to be complemented to yield desired results. 

He emphasizes that a majority of those affected are unemployed residents as well as low-income earners.

The ALAN President said housing and serviced land provision remain very low, while informal settlements are expanding at a fast rate. 

The Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni, revealed that the country has a housing backlog of about 300 000 housing and says it's no secret that 70% of this backlog is in the low-income category. He also stressed that access to land is an important requirement for addressing poverty and bringing about social and economic advancement.
 
Being one of the country's economic hubs, Erongo Region is faced with massive and rapid urbanization, as people from all corners of the country come in search of job opportunities.

These migrations, the region's Governor, Neville Andre, says, have placed a heavy burden on the limited resources of the local authorities to provide adequate housing, which results in the establishment of informal settlements.

Andre stressed that housing is a core package of social goods that enable poor people to live better lives.

Another pertinent issue the local authorities need to look at as a matter of urgency Andre says, is the decentralization of deed registration, which if decentralized will save a lot of time in the registration of properties.