||Kharas Governor, Aletha Frederick said despite its relatively low population density estimated of 78 000 inhabitants, the economic growth potential of the region is considerably high, but needs an intensive all-inclusive development plan.
Frederick made these remarks this week at Rosh Pinah during the annual regional governor’s forum strategic session held under the theme ‘Enhancing efficiency for improving regional service delivery’.
She said the region is a high-end profitable tax-generating area, which predominantly comes from diamond mining for the central government and it remains the backbone of the regional economy.
“However, the biggest contrast is that the living conditions of the majority of the people have not improved for better and to be frank, the majority of our people are living a life of struggle to make ends meet,” said the governor.
Frederick said that the untapped potential of the region lies in the agriculture and the tourism sectors as well as in the fast-developing envisaged massive investment opportunity in green hydrogen energy, which is gaining momentum in Lüderitz.
“The region can also become a national magnet for game farming and with the expansion of irrigation farming along the Naute Dam and Orange River, as well as with the envisaged irrigation scheme along the newly completed and full to capacity-water Neckartal Dam,” she said.
Khomas Governor, Laura McLeod-Katjirua said the world has looming challenges and increasingly limited resources and all growth depend on activity and there is no development physically or intellectually without tangible efforts.
She urged her fellow governors to continue reminding themselves that the wishes and aspirations of their community must be priority in their service delivery obligation.
“This simply means that people are our most essential or vital resources and the growth and development of our people remain the highest calling of our leadership. There is nothing short-term or any short cut about our obligation of service delivery and we must at all cost collectively rise to this challenge to instil that needed community hope, confidence and trust in our governance,” said McLeod-Katjirua.
Mcleod-Katjirua who is also the chairperson of the governor’s forum said the annual strategic session aim among others for the governors to review and evaluate their institutional capacity to adopt or develop plans for them to become more efficient and relevant.
The strategic session started on Wednesday and ended on Friday and was attended by all 14 regional governors, Deputy Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Natalia |Goagoses and Minister in the Presidency, Christine ||Hoëbes among others.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
