The Northern Regional Electricity Distributor (NORED) from Monday until Wednesday engaged various stakeholders in Opuwo.

The objectives of the interaction were to assist the newly-elected councillors to understand the mandate and operations of NORED and to forge coordination and synergy with the elected leaders while also devising modalities for collaboration and communication.

The three-day workshop was attended by regional constituency councillors, traditional leaders and local authority councillors.

Speaking at the occasion on Tuesday, NORED board chairman David Hamutenya stated that the intervention is important as it unites all stakeholders around a common goal which is the provision of electricity to everyone, noting that access to electricity is one of the essential basic human needs and a positive factor of national development and economic activities.

“As leaders in the sphere of government we have a leadership responsibility to deliver in an equitable manner,” he said, adding that NORED was therefore created to assist elected leaders to deliver on their mandate of service delivery, thus fulfilling their commitment to the masses.

Kunene Regional Council chairperson and councillor of the Sesfontein Constituency, Hendrik Gaobaeb lauded NORED for its support in terms of electricity delivery to some of the furthest parts of the region. However, Gaobaeb stated that NORED should also improve in their set-up when electrifying houses, noting that people are exposed to dangers as most of the trenches are not being dug deep enough leaving cables laying bare.

He also urged the company to engage the regional leaders in terms of identifying areas to be electrified.

NORED was established with the mandate to distribute and supply electricity to eight political regions namely; Kunene, Omusati, Oshana, Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Kavango East and West and Zambezi.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency