The resurrected mayor’s fund of Omuthiya raised N $ 208,000 at a gala dinner on Friday.
The profits are intended to be used to help impoverished members of the community, through the establishment of urban agricultural projects as well as the construction of a school hostel.
The inaugural event took place in July 2017, but since then nothing has happened.
âI am happy to see that Omuthiya City Council is approaching the issue of helping marginalized communities from an excellent angle, namely urban agriculture. This will in effect boost the community’s access to nutritious, inexpensive and fresh products while encouraging residents to understand where their food comes from. Backyard gardens should therefore be emulated by all residents, as they will help low-income people save the little money, while improving healthy diets, âOshikoto Governor Penda Ya said. Ndakolo.
In addition, Ya Ndakolo said that he wanted to see a garden created at the Omuthiya School Foyer to provide easy access to vegetables and fruits to learners, allowing them to live healthy lives, which ultimately leads to better performance. .
“These are all good efforts, which help the government to achieve its sustainable development goals of zero hunger in Namibia and ensure food security, which will also help us overcome marginalization as a country,” the governor added. .
Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, who attended the event, said the Mayor’s Fund is an initiative to build strategic alliances in the development and improvement of communities through financial and other support.
In addition, Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said that the activities to be undertaken are noble and require the support of all, suggesting that âthe local authorities bring the government closer to the people as they are involved in the delivery of services and development at the local level. “.
âPublic service is not only important for the social well-being of our communities, but it also promotes economic growth and development. In turn, economic growth is a prerequisite for meeting the social challenges facing our communities. There is therefore a symbiotic relationship between economic development and the city’s capacity to offer quality services to its inhabitants â, declared the Prime Minister.
Likewise, she warned that poor governance leads to poor performance of public institutions, mismanagement, including the misappropriation of public resources, and limited economic development and growth.
On this note, the Prime Minister advised local authorities to use the services of SMEs, saying the government procurement law allows preferential treatment for Namibian companies. This, she said, would create economic opportunities for local businesses to thrive.
âIn particular, targeted actions are needed to address the threats faced by small farmers, rural small and medium enterprises, women, youth and indigenous populations,â she noted.
She referred to the government’s decision to accelerate decentralization, saying that it does not just transfer functions from the center to the sub-national; but also strengthens democracy and promotes effective governance through improved public participation and service delivery.
âGiven the limited resources and to harness the capacities of the private sector, the government has adopted public-private partnerships (PPP). Local authorities are encouraged to take advantage of PPPs to accelerate development and service delivery in their localities, âimplored Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.
