The National Housing Enterprise (NHE) on Monday handed over 72 newly constructed houses at Karibib as part of government’s effort to address the housing crisis in the country, along with various partners.
In a statement availed to Nampa, Deputy Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Nathalia |Goagoses said the houses are part of the Informal Settlement Upgrading and Affordable Housing Pilot Project, which aims to move people from shacks to brick houses for better shelter.
She said that in comparison to the huge national demand and backlog in housing, 72 houses are a drop in ocean, but they will make a difference in the lives of those who will occupy them, given the limited resources available.
“Our ability to deliver more houses greatly depends on the availability of serviced land. I wish to appeal to local authorities to continue to do their best to service more land and to prioritise the provision of affordable land to NHE for low-cost housing initiatives, so that such affordability can be passed on to the home owners. We all need to bring our part in supporting government’s efforts in fighting homelessness through the provision of houses that are affordable to the majority of our people,” she said.
NHE board chairperson, Sam Shivute, in a speech read on his behalf said accessibility to decent housing reduces stress and leads to improved mental health, while also creating a conducive environment for parents to raise their children appropriately. Therefore, NHE is committed to creating healthy communities with the provision of affordable, well-designed houses for the growth and development of low to middle-income families that find it difficult, and sometimes impossible, to acquire houses constructed strictly by private developers.
“The NHE board has premised NHE’s core housing development strategy on positioning housing as one of the main enablers of Namibia’s economic growth, as it supports other economic sectors in the economy value chain, while creating sustainable communities throughout the country. We are fully part of that fight to reverse the phenomenon of informal settlements that subject thousands of Namibians to deplorable living conditions in these undesired dwelling structures,” said Shivute.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
