Uutoni urges regional councils not to sit on funds meant for development projects

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Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni on Monday told the leadership of all regional councils in the country to stop sitting on funds meant for rural development by keeping them in council’s bank accounts.

Uutoni was speaking during the five-day 2022 Annual Rural Development Planning and Review Workshop which started at Rundu.

The workshop ends on Friday.

‘I have come across some regional councils with money in their accounts for the purpose of rural development from the previous financial year and never utilised it. Yet, the same regional council will still demand more money from the ministry for certain projects,’ he said.

The minister questioned why regional councils keep money when development is needed in rural areas, saying at times these funds could also be utilised by other institutions in need such as town councils facing water closures or faced with other challenges.

“It is disheartening to hear that funds allocated for poverty eradication and employment creation projects in rural areas are either misused or unutilized in bank accounts while the target rural communities are languishing in poverty,” he said.

He called on the responsible persons in the ministry as well as the political leadership to do everything possible in order to accelerate and ensure timely execution and implementation of the rural development budget and projects.

He further urged regional councils to adhere to the guidelines that have been laid down regarding the selection of beneficiaries and promptly submit accountability reports.

The five-day workshop will discuss the implementation of rural development initiatives by regional councils and rural sanitation.

Various heads of regional councils will also give presentations on ongoing projects, challenges, remedial measures and future plans.

On his part Governor of the Kavango East Region, Bonny Wakudumo, said rural areas are highly distinctive from one another and for this reason there is a need to consider a variety of rural development approaches in order for it to be successful.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency