OPM spent N$4.8 million on state events
OPM spent N$4.8 million on state events

Over N$2m splashed out on state funerals

N$4.8 million on state events during last financial year
Government provided emergency assistance to 56 000 households at a cost of N$67 million during the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
Ellanie Smit
Government forked out nearly N$2.1 million for 23 state funerals during the 2022-2023 financial year.

According to deputy prime minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the Office of the Prime Minister spent over N$4.8 million in total on state events during the fiscal year under review, of which she said just over N$2.05 was spent on state funerals.

The 32nd Independence Day celebrations in Swakopmund cost just over N$1 million, while the Heroes' Day commemoration in Mariental incurred expenses exceeding N$1.8 million.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said this during the motivation for the budget allocation for the prime minister’s office, which was allocated more than N$478 million for the 2023–2024 financial year.

Spending on relief programmes

The overall budget for the financial year under review was slightly more than N$400 million, while expenditures amounted to just over N$328 million, translating into a budget execution rate of 81.9%.

Highlighting some of the key achievements for the financial year, Nandi-Ndaitwah said the prime minister's office coordinated drought relief for the Kunene Region and parts of the Erongo and Omusati regions, which entailed food assistance and water provision to communities.

More than 56 000 households were assisted at a cost of N$67 million, she said.

The number of households assisted was 35 002 in Kunene, 6 185 in Erongo, and 15 620 in Omusati.

"Following the heavy rains in Angola, flooding was experienced in some parts of the Ohangwena, Oshana and Omusati regions in January this year," she said.

The deputy prime minister added that, to date, 362 households in Ohangwena and 86 households in Oshana have been affected, of which 93 and 52, respectively, are still housed in temporary relocation sites.

She said the office facilitated the relief support, which included temporary shelter, food assistance and medical care. All affected schools have since resumed.

Cooperation with stakeholders

She added that in Omaheke and the Otjozondjupa regions, government partnered with the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia to provide housing relief to 20 households whose houses were destroyed by a wind storm in December 2021.

The total cost for the 20 houses amounted to more than N$1.2 million, and construction of the houses was to be completed by April this year. In addition, N$115 000 was contributed by fishing companies.

As part of enhanced capacity, 45 vacant positions were filled during the year under review.

Comments

Namibian Sun 2024-11-23

No comments have been left on this article

Please login to leave a comment

Katima Mulilo: 20° | 36° Rundu: 20° | 37° Eenhana: 22° | 36° Oshakati: 25° | 35° Ruacana: 22° | 36° Tsumeb: 23° | 36° Otjiwarongo: 22° | 35° Omaruru: 23° | 36° Windhoek: 23° | 34° Gobabis: 23° | 35° Henties Bay: 14° | 19° Swakopmund: 14° | 16° Walvis Bay: 13° | 20° Rehoboth: 23° | 35° Mariental: 24° | 38° Keetmanshoop: 24° | 39° Aranos: 28° | 38° Lüderitz: 13° | 25° Ariamsvlei: 23° | 40° Oranjemund: 13° | 21° Luanda: 25° | 26° Gaborone: 22° | 36° Lubumbashi: 17° | 32° Mbabane: 18° | 31° Maseru: 16° | 32° Antananarivo: 17° | 31° Lilongwe: 22° | 33° Maputo: 23° | 31° Windhoek: 23° | 34° Cape Town: 17° | 27° Durban: 20° | 25° Johannesburg: 19° | 31° Dar es Salaam: 26° | 32° Lusaka: 22° | 33° Harare: 21° | 31° #REF! #REF!