The Ministry of Mines and Energy through the Rural Electrification Programme has embarked on a project to electrify Otjitoko village in the Opuwo Rural Constituency, as well as the villages of Etanga and Otjitanda in the Epupa Constituency, at a cost of N.dollars 8.5 million.

Confirming the project to Nampa on Wednesday, deputy director of the electricity division in the ministry, Ndjai Zaire stated that phase one of the project started last year at Etanga, while the other two villages commenced with phase one recently.

He said the ministry, through the Rural Electrification Programme, budgeted N.dollars 6 million to construct medium voltage lines with two transformers from Otjivero to Etanga village, which covers an estimated 45 kilometres.

“The project aims to provide community members and government facilities in the three villages with electricity and the project is expected to be completed within seven months,” he added.

Zaire stated that rural electrification is part of government’s economic development policy to improve the socio-economic conditions of Namibian citizens and to create the necessary incentives for economic development in the targeted areas, thus creating economic hubs for the respective constituencies.

“As part of efforts to increase rural electrification, the programme has selected Karoo Electricity Company through a tender process, while NamPower was already given a sum of N.dollars 17 million for the construction of the transmission line,” said Zaire.

He said the government has made it its mandate to extend the rural electrification grid in order to boost economic dynamism in the rural areas, especially in the Kunene Region.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency