The Mariental Municipality recently approved an estimated budget of N.dollars 127 748 150 for the 2021/2022 financial year.
In a statement availed to Nampa on Friday, Mariental Mayor Adam Kuhlman said council expenditure for the 2021/2022 financial year stands at N.dollars 127 748 568.
“We have approved a pro-poor budget that caters for the needs of our citizens who find themselves at the lower end of the social pyramid. For so long our grandmothers, mothers, aunts, sisters and daughters defecate in the open due to the lack of proper sanitation, our sole objective with this budget is to restore the dignity of our residents by addressing their most basic fundamental needs,” he said.
Kuhlman said despite the harsh economic conditions exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the council resolved to exempt the pensioners from paying basic service charges on water, electricity, sewage and refuse removal.
He said with the exemption Council will return N.dollars 230 per month and N.dollars 2 760 per annum to the pensioners’ pockets.
“We have currently 264 pensioners on our database and we invite pensioners to register on our system to benefit also. We have also resolved to install 800 pre-paid water meters for pensioners and those living with disability, however we are busy with a policy framework for the roll-out of the pre-paid meters and we will implement it in phases,” he said.
The mayor said the council has resolved to pass an increase of 11 cents on electricity and a N.dollars 1.04 increase on water.
“However, the water increase depends on Cabinet approval, it is Council’s aim to introduce policy alternatives for secure, affordable and sustainable water and electricity provision, for this purpose Council is exploring the possibility of own water resources by conducting a feasibility study to drill boreholes, we want to supply our own water to the residents,” he said.
Kuhlman said the council will still provide free water to marginalised residents at the town as per ministerial directive issued last year.
“Council thought it is wise to continue with the provision of water to maintain hygiene as part of the council response to COVID-19,” he cited.
Source: Namibia Press Agency
