Ongandjera: Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has advocated for a strategic partnership between the government and traditional authorities (TAs) to convert the Etaka-Uuvudhiya Canal into a reliable water source for local communities and agricultural development.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Ngurare introduced a community-led infrastructure strategy aimed at expediting the canal's concrete development during a high-level consultation with Omukwaniilwa (King) Johannes Mupiya and senior headmen at the Ongandjera royal homestead on Saturday. The Prime Minister suggested that each TA along the canal identify and manage the development of at least five kilometres, with government backing through the Food-for-Work and Cash-for-Work programmes to enhance water flow and retention. He urged the Ongandjera TA to spearhead the initiative by designating its five-kilometre section and initiating work with government support promptly.
The 130-kilometre canal, built around 1974, is an earthen waterway connecting the Olushandja Dam to natural pans in Uuvudhiya. It provides essential drought relief, livestock watering, and small-scale agricultural support to rural communities in the Omusati, Oshana, and Oshikoto regions. However, years of extreme weather eroded the canal, threatening the farmers and livestock dependent on its flow. To restore reliability, NamWater and the government launched a N$3.9 million rehabilitation effort funded by the Office of the Prime Minister via the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, turning urgent drought relief into lasting climate resilience.
Furthermore, Ngurare urged other TAs, including Uukolonkadhi, Uukwaluudhi, and Uukwambi, to adopt similar measures, aiming to formalise the Etaka Canal as a shared water source for local communities. He also connected this initiative to broader efforts to harness water from Calueque in Angola, emphasising the importance of effectively utilising this resource to foster agricultural development in Namibia.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed, 'The Office of the Prime Minister will continue coordinating with traditional authorities and relevant stakeholders to translate the proposal into a practical service delivery towards improved national food security.'