Engoyi — At the ground-breaking ceremony for the improvement of several roads in the Oshikoto and Oshana regions, Vice President Nangolo Mbumba urged Namibians to work together for the betterment of the country.
According to a new release by the Namibian Press Agency, the ceremony took place on Thursday at Engoyi village in Oshikoto. The Vice President emphasized the importance of collaboration among regional leadership, communities, and contractors throughout the construction period. He stated, “Together we shall navigate the road ahead by fostering progress, prosperity, and a brighter future for all Namibians.”
The roads slated for upgrading include District Road 3645 from Engoyi to Onanke village in Oshikoto, District Road 3605 from Ondangwa to Uukwiyuushona in Oshana, District Road 3683 from Uukwiyuushona to Omuntele in both Oshikoto and Oshana, and DR 3673 from Omuthiya to Onanke in Oshikoto. Mbumba noted that these upgraded all-weather roads would provide better access to healthcare, education, and markets, thereby fostering inclusive growth in rural communities.
Further, he highlighted that converting high-trafficked gravel roads to all-weather surfaced standards will alleviate the issues related to unsealed road maintenance and conserve road-building materials.
Minister of Works and Transport, John Mutorwa, echoed the sentiments on rural development, stating that the government is focused on connecting roads to other Southern African Development Community countries. “We are now connecting our constituencies, our villages, our farms, and our cattle posts so we pay proper attention to rural economic development,” Mutorwa said.
Oshikoto Region Governor Penda Ya Ndakolo pointed out that much of his region suffers from underdeveloped roads and stressed the importance of timely completion by contractors.
Conrad Lutombi, Roads Authority Chief Executive Officer, said the construction of the current set of roads would take approximately 10 months. He also mentioned that more roads in the Oshikoto Region will be constructed in the next three years. Among the future projects are roads from Omuthiya to Elambo, Oshiti shaHaihonya to Okongo village in the Ohangwena Region, and Onyati to Onkumbula village.