Oshakati: Oshakati residents owe the town council N. dollars 67.1 million in unpaid municipal services, with most of the debt outstanding for more than a year.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Oshakati Town Council's public relations officer, Martin Kapuka, reported that 58 percent of the debt has been overdue for more than one year, while the remaining 42 percent relates to accounts outstanding for between four months and one year.

Households account for the largest share of the debt at 60 percent, with institutions and businesses making up the remaining 40 percent. Kapuka identified unfavourable economic conditions, high unemployment, and affordability challenges as key contributors to the mounting debt.

Kapuka stated that the growing debt burden is impacting the council's ability to deliver services and meet financial obligations. Limited revenue collection hinders the council's capacity to expand and maintain essential services such as water, sewer infrastructure, roads, and electricity. It also strains their ability to meet obligations to service providers like Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater) and Oshakati Premier Electric.

The council has implemented measures to recover the outstanding debt, including installing prepaid water meters, disconnecting services for non-payment, issuing regular reminder notices, and reviewing its credit control policy. Long-term strategies are also being developed to bolster revenue collection and ensure sustainable service delivery.

Plans include procuring a dedicated debt collection system, recruiting graduate interns to aid debt collection efforts, and expanding the prepaid water metering system, especially in informal settlements. Kapuka urged residents to prioritize payment of municipal accounts, emphasizing that timely payment is essential for extending services to those currently lacking access. Failure or delays in payment ultimately hinder service delivery and limit access for others.