Kavango west: Kavango West Regional Council Chief Regional Officer, Matheus Singambwe, has openly criticized the Northern Regional Electricity Distributor (Nored), NamPower, and NamWater for their repeated failures in service delivery, which he claims have severe repercussions on the region's livelihoods, safety, and essential services.
According to Namibia Press Agency, during a service delivery engagement session with the utility entities, Singambwe highlighted the detrimental impact of both planned and unplanned power outages, unreliable restoration timelines, and a lack of accountability. These issues, he argued, are weakening public trust and the efficacy of crucial services in the region.
Singambwe raised concerns about the oversight of licensing and called for transparency from relevant ministries on intervention strategies and funding priorities. He warned that residents are being treated unfairly when basic services are not provided and linked water insecurity directly to electricity issues, noting that power failures lead to non-functional pumps, forcing communities to rely on unsafe river water.
Customer service practices were also criticized, with Singambwe pointing out that officials often redirect residents to call centers rather than addressing issues on the ground. He questioned their commitment to the community and urged for collaborative problem-solving, timely service restorations, and formal accountability to both the regional council and national ministries.
He cited a recent incident at Katjinakatji Combined School, where a power outage disrupted the water supply, contributing to suspected food poisoning that affected 113 learners, with 44 hospitalized. Singambwe described the dire conditions that resulted from the outage, emphasizing the unsafe circumstances for students.
While praising the quick response from central authorities and technical teams, Singambwe condemned the denials from utility representatives regarding the incident. He demanded better coordination among the entities, immediate restoration protocols, localized call centers, transparent reporting on outages, and compensation for damages and losses incurred.
In his closing remarks, Singambwe called for proactive solutions and a higher standard of service from the power generator NamPower, the distributor Nored, and the regulatory bodies responsible for overseeing licensing.
Source: Namibia Press Agency