Oshivelo: Residents of Oshivelo and Omuthiya in the Oshikoto Region joined officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) on Friday in a clean-up of their towns.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the festive season awareness national clean-up campaign, held under the theme "Namibia, Clean and Healthy", is being rolled out across all 14 regions. Speaking at the Oshivelo checkpoint, MEFT Deputy Director for Environmental Information and Natural Resources Economics, Olimpio Nhuleipo, emphasised that the main objective is to raise awareness during the festive season and to foster behavioural change in how residents treat the environment.

Nhuleipo stated, "We are engaging travellers on the road and residents of both towns because we have observed that during the festive season, when people flock to different towns and host parties, they tend to litter. We simply want to encourage them to dispose of generated waste in refuse bags." He added that the campaign will be a recurring initiative to continually raise awareness about keeping the country's environment clean.

Oshikoto Regional Governor Sacky Kathindi praised the initiative for promoting cleanliness in Oshikoto and Namibia at all times. "We support these efforts and will continue to advocate for keeping our country clean," Kathindi said. At the checkpoint, Kathindi also urged drivers to prioritise road safety, exercise caution, adhere to the rules and enjoy a blissful festive holiday.

Oshivelo resident Kula Thomas told this agency that a clean environment is a safe environment. She called on fellow Namibians to maintain clean surroundings and homes while avoiding littering. "Taking care of your home and keeping the community clean is a good way to foster a safe environment," she said.

The environmental initiative aligns with MEFT's broader goals of keeping Namibia clean and litter-free.