Ohangwena Governor, Walde Ndevashiya on Wednesday attributed the government’s poor service delivery to the poor road network in the Ohangwena Region.

Ndevashiya was speaking at the annual State of the Region Address (SORA) at Eenhana.

He said the vastness of the region, poor road networks and road infrastructure coupled with the financial challenges have forced the regional political leadership to prioritise gravelling, re-gravelling and upgrading of some roads in the region to bitumen standard.

He said the roads between Elundu-Oushake to Okankolo, the Ondobe-Okahenge and Oshigambo road, as well as the road between Oshidute and Omundangilo, are on the priority list.

Other major link roads being prioritised for upgrading to bitumen standard are Ohengobe-Odibo to Oshikango and between Onawa and Ohailulu.

The governor did not give any financial outlines or timelines for these projects.

“The eastern constituencies in the region are also faced with poor road networks, bad roads or non-existent roads, which makes it difficult for the inhabitants to access government services at schools or clinics,” he said.

Ndevashiya thus wants all road construction projects underway in the eastern areas of the region to be completed on time, before the rainy season.

He said most of the areas are normally cut off from government services when it rains and when the earth dams (Oshanas) are flooded.

The governor also stated that the trunk road between Onhuuno and Eenhana which was officially launched for rehabilitation in 2021, needs speedy completion, including the road construction activities underway on Endola-Eemboo-Epinga to Onakalunga which were recently launched and funded by the German government.

“We also need to look into the flood mitigation programme on how we can have our nine important access gravel roads linking schools and clinics in areas of Endola, Engela and Ongenga funded for construction,” he said.

Ndevashiya further praised the local authorities of Helao Nafidi town and Eenhana for maintaining their local roads annually, even when it rains heavily.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency