Ausiku slams alleged mismanagement at Kavango ranch

Thousands benefit from drought relief in region
The governor emphasised that if the farm is well managed, it can generate jobs, combat poverty and enhance food security.
Nikanor Nangolo
In her state of the region address in Nkurenkuru on Friday, Kavango West Region governor Sirkka Ausiku appealed to the finance and public enterprises ministry as well as the ministry of industrialisation and trade to resolve alleged management issues at Kavango Cattle Ranch without further delay.

Ausiku made these remarks amid concerns raised by constituency councillors over alleged mismanagement of the ranch.

"If the farm is well managed, it can create agro-processing industries, generate jobs, combat poverty and enhance food security in our country," she said.

Last week, Namibian Sun reported that councillors in the Kavango West Region have expressed serious concerns regarding the mismanagement of the state-owned Kavango Cattle Ranch, where livestock is reportedly 'lost.'

Challenges highlighted

Tondoro constituency councillor Joseph Sikongo, during a recent meeting with the parliamentary standing committee on economic and public administration, pointed out that cattle disappear with employees unable to track their whereabouts.

Shikongo said: "Our hands are tied because we are not part of the system. When the minister instituted the board, the minister was supposed to include the traditional authority and regional council because that's where the land belongs.”

Human resources director at the Kavango West Regional Council, Matheus Singambwe, also said under the new management, employees at the farm now have to travel long distances to access necessities.

“Previously, there was a shop managed by the employees themselves, providing easy access to essential food items without extensive travel. Now, for just 10 kg of maize meal, workers need to find transportation to the nearest town, whether it be Grootfontein, Tsumeb, or the furthest, Rundu,” he said.

Top priorities

Ausiku reiterated that agriculture remains a top priority sector for the region.

“The region continues to appreciate the implementation of various programmes by the line ministry, namely the dry land crop production programme, the national horticulture support programme and the poultry production programme. However, the extension services programme needs to be reviewed and strengthened to benefit the farmers," she said.

Ausiku also expressed appreciation for the expansion of the milling plant at Katwitwi settlement.

“This year, the facility is supplying maize meal to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) for the drought relief programme. The region would like to thank His Excellency President Nangolo Mbumba for declaring the state of emergency on account of the prevailing drought," she said.

She noted that the OPM and Kavango West Regional Council have started rolling out the drought relief programme to beneficiaries.

"31 799 households are benefiting from this programme,” she said, encouraging farmers to participate in the government market incentive to destock their livestock.

She added that the region is still committed to implementing and monitoring government policies, developmental programmes and projects until the region’s current status quo changes.

“As the youngest region, our priority sectors remain the same, namely infrastructure development, agriculture, manufacturing and community-based tourism. With good investments in these sectors, we can change the livelihoods of our community,” Ausiku said.

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-22

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