About 287 Grade 8 learners who could not secure school placement in the Otjozondjupa Region have finally returned to class.

The learners are now accommodated in classrooms at different project schools in Otjiwarongo and Okahandja.

Otjozondjupa Education Director, Josephine Mutenda told nbc News that learners returned to class this week.

Mutenda says eight learners in Okahandja Circuit did not manage to secure placement at the start of this academic year, while Otjiwarongo had 279 pupils on a waiting list.

The Ministry of Health and Social Services will build new hospitals and upgrade others in the country.

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Kalumbi Shangula says, the building and upgrading of some of the hospitals will allow patients to get special treatment in their regions without having to travel long distances. 

The district hospitals will be constructed in Windhoek, Nkurenkuru, Ondangwa and Otjiwarongo and a referral hospital in the Oshana Region is also on the books.

Residents of the Ombili informal settlement at Otjiwarongo will no longer have to carry heavy buckets of water on their heads after a generous benefactor donated hippo rollers to  50 households.

Although it has become a daily practice for informal settlement residents to walk distances to fetch water at community taps one, can never get used to the discomfort that comes with carrying up to 20 liters or more on the head as it causes pain or even long term injuries to the neck and the spinal cord.

The Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund is urging drivers to educate passengers on the use of fire extinguishers before embarking on their journey.

MVA's Injury Prevention and Crash Assessment Coordinator Daniel Mouton, who joined the police at the roadblock 17 kilometres to Otavi from Otjiwarongo, says it is commendable that drivers are observing traffic rules and regulations.

This includes adhering to the speed limit and using seat belts while the vehicle's lights and tires are also working and in good condition.

Most office-bearers in the Otjiwarongo Municipality and Otavi Town Council retained their positions.

Kandiwapa Shivute and Isaac !Hoaeb retained their positions as mayors of Otjiwarongo and Otavi, respectively.

Otjiwarongo council, with seven seats, is led by Swapo councillors, followed by opposition parties with one seat each.
 
Shivute is to be deputized by Julienda Kampungu. While Gothard Hoko was elected Chairperson of the Management Committee.

Plans are underway to construct a wastewater treatment plant and a biomass industrial park at Otjiwarongo to respond to the town's growing population.

This was revealed by Mayor Kandiwapa Shivute at the council's year-end meeting held at Otjiwarongo.

Shivute says the number of inhabitants at Otjiwarongo has grown to about 45 thousand, hence the need to upgrade the oxidation ponds.

The plant will have the capacity to hold more than 10 thousand cubic meters of wastewater.

Namibia Revenue Agency's (NamRA) Commissioner, Sam Shivute says tax morality and the compliance rate among Namibians are very low.

Shivute, together with other NamRA officials, visited Otjiwarongo to engage stakeholders on tax, customs, and excise matters in the Otjozondjupa Region.  

Compliance with tax laws is crucial for the state to function and support government programs and services toward improving citizens' lives.

The Namibia National Farmers Union, NNFU constitution remains unchanged after members reviewed it at a five day workshop held at Otjiwarongo. 

NNFU is a national federation of regional farmer's unions established in 1992 to serve as a mouthpiece for Namibian farmers.

As per the union's constitution, the organisational, decision making and administration structure shall follow the hierarchy of congress, National Council, the executive committee of the National Council with office-bearers, board of directors, and secretariats.

The Otjozondjupa Governor, James Uerikua met with stateless and undocumented residents of Otjiwarongo recently to discuss the challenges they face. 

The community, which lives on the outskirts of Otjiwarongo's Ombili location, welcomed the governor's visit. 

They say the meeting gave them a long overdue chance to voice the problems they've faced since relocating from Osire Refugee Camp four years ago. 

Since then, they say no leader has ever visited them. 

192 houses were connected to electricity at Ombili Informal Settlement at Otjiwarongo through CENORED's peri-urban electrification project.

Phase six of the project is also underway at a cost of N$1,8 million.

Board Chairperson Moses Matjayi says investing in energy infrastructure is part of the National Development Plan's key drivers for economic and social growth.