To address the housing backlog, the government has handed over 4000 housing units since the inception of the Mass Housing Development Programme in 2014, up to July 2023.

The MHDP commenced with projects at 21 sites around the country.

Today, in addition to that number, an additional 89 recently completed houses were officiated by President Hage Geingob at Swakopmund.

Living in a decent house is one of the factors that defines a decent and dignified life.

This is a satisfying life for 70 residents of Okahao in the Omusati Region who moved into their new houses constructed by the National Housing Enterprise (NHE).

The houses were constructed at a cost of N$27.3 million by the second contractor after the first one failed to deliver.

Earlier on, the NHE also handed over 50 houses to beneficiaries at Omuthiya, constructed at a cost of N$20 million, and 24 houses at Ondangwa, built at a cost of N$12 million.

A month-long strike by NHE employees has ended after management and the union agreed on a once-off payment of N$5 000.

The employees went on strike after management and the union reached a deadlock over wage negotiations.

The negotiations, which centered around salary increments, have ended with the employees agreeing to deductions from their salaries, given the "no work, no pay" rule in place during the strike - over an eight-month period. 

The employees had initially demanded a 7% salary increment and later proposed a once-off payment of N$10,000.

Striking employees at the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) have appealed to the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni, to intervene in the ongoing wage dispute with the management.

The workers marched from the NHE headquarters to the Ministry to hand over the petition to Uutoni.

The workers are demanding a face-to-face dialogue with the management and the new board to end the industrial action. 

The strike at the National Housing Enterprise today entered its third day.

Employees say their industrial action is not only about salary increments, but overall governance at the company.

NHE Management is adamant that there is no money to effect salary increments.

Workers however say recent events within the institution indicate otherwise. 

They cited as an example, a trip undertaken by management to Cape Town and the holding of executive meetings at hotels instead of the company's boardroom, as well as the unprocedural appointment of certain employees.

The National Housing Enterprise (NHE) loan book has grown from N$493 million in 2015 to N$1.6 billion now.

The NHE had experienced slow growth in the past seven years due to financial constraints, land tenure issues, the unavailability of serviced land, and property rights.

However, the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni, expressed appreciation to the current board for its efforts.

The outgoing board chairperson, Sam Shivute, pointed out some of the challenges the entity faced during its tenure.

Employees of the Namibia Housing Enterprise (NHE) have voted in favour of engaging in industrial action.

Workers, represented by the Public Service Union of Namibia (PSUN) conducted a vote on whether or not to strike, with 90 percent of workers voting in favour.

The development follows the company's failure to satisfy the workers' demand for a once-off payment of N$15 000, instead of salary increments, which it has stated it cannot afford. 

Employees at the National Housing Enterprise are scheduled to vote on whether to strike or not tomorrow, after negotiations with management reached a deadlock. 

The Secretary General of Namibia Public Service Union, Matheus Haakuria says negotiating teams had initially agreed on a once off payment of N$15 000 for each employee. 

However, he says the company allegedly reversed its  decision, which forced the employees to reduce the amount to N$10 000.

Haakuria says the NHE board still refuses.

Delivering affordable housing remains a key government agenda item.

As such, the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni, says his ministry avails millions of dollars towards the construction of houses to improve the living standards of Namibians.

Uutoni said this when he handed over more than 40 new houses, constructed at a cost of N$11 million at Otjiwarongo. 

These houses were constructed by the National Housing Enterprises after the Otjiwarongo Municipality made available land in 2021 to set up affordable units.