Call for calm ahead of land conference
Finding an appropriate and acceptable land ownership and land use model requires pragmatism and great political and social imagination, the prime minister says.
OGONE TLHAGE
Prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has asked for cool heads to prevail ahead of the long-anticipated national land conference next month.
The remarks were made last week during the official opening of the Katutura Expo, which concluded yesterday.
According to Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, while the land issue is a sensitive one, calm should be the order of the day when discussions are held on matters related to ownership.
The premier also acknowledged that discussions would not be easy.
“The land question remains a sensitive and complex political, social and economic issue. Finding an appropriate and acceptable land ownership and land use model requires pragmatism and great political and social imagination,” said Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.
“I believe all of us have the determination and these qualities to ensure a favourable outcome to the land conference.”
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said it was now the opportune time to host a nationwide consultative conference on land.
“Government found it important to once again accord the nation a platform to contribute towards the direction towards the current land reform process should take,” she said.
President Hage Geingob acknowledged in his state of the nation address the sensitivities around the land question and like Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, also asked for calm to prevail.
“The emotive and complex issues surrounding land reform require a sincere but difficult conversation. As we prepare for this important dialogue, I urge stakeholders to prepare and submit considered and evidence-based proposals to enrich the discussions,” said Geingob.
Geingob warned that lawlessness would not be condoned and that citizens were required to follow the correct procedures.
“When approaching the land issue, we will not condone lawlessness. Settling on any land without permission is against the law and land grabbing will certainly not be tolerated.”
At the launch of the conference the ministry said that at independence the government inherited a skewed land distribution with 36.2 million hectares owned by 4 664 advantaged farmers and 150 000 families occupying 33.5 million hectares of communal land. The ministry said that only 181 commercial farms were owned by black farmers.
According to the ministry it has acquired 502 farms measuring 3.1 million hectares out of a target of 5 million hectares through the ‘willing seller, willing buyer’ principle at a cost of N$1.7 billion.
At least 5 231 families have been resettled.
Under the Affirmative Action Loan Scheme programme a total of 3.4 million hectares have been acquired at a cost of N$762 million.
Prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has asked for cool heads to prevail ahead of the long-anticipated national land conference next month.
The remarks were made last week during the official opening of the Katutura Expo, which concluded yesterday.
According to Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, while the land issue is a sensitive one, calm should be the order of the day when discussions are held on matters related to ownership.
The premier also acknowledged that discussions would not be easy.
“The land question remains a sensitive and complex political, social and economic issue. Finding an appropriate and acceptable land ownership and land use model requires pragmatism and great political and social imagination,” said Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.
“I believe all of us have the determination and these qualities to ensure a favourable outcome to the land conference.”
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said it was now the opportune time to host a nationwide consultative conference on land.
“Government found it important to once again accord the nation a platform to contribute towards the direction towards the current land reform process should take,” she said.
President Hage Geingob acknowledged in his state of the nation address the sensitivities around the land question and like Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, also asked for calm to prevail.
“The emotive and complex issues surrounding land reform require a sincere but difficult conversation. As we prepare for this important dialogue, I urge stakeholders to prepare and submit considered and evidence-based proposals to enrich the discussions,” said Geingob.
Geingob warned that lawlessness would not be condoned and that citizens were required to follow the correct procedures.
“When approaching the land issue, we will not condone lawlessness. Settling on any land without permission is against the law and land grabbing will certainly not be tolerated.”
At the launch of the conference the ministry said that at independence the government inherited a skewed land distribution with 36.2 million hectares owned by 4 664 advantaged farmers and 150 000 families occupying 33.5 million hectares of communal land. The ministry said that only 181 commercial farms were owned by black farmers.
According to the ministry it has acquired 502 farms measuring 3.1 million hectares out of a target of 5 million hectares through the ‘willing seller, willing buyer’ principle at a cost of N$1.7 billion.
At least 5 231 families have been resettled.
Under the Affirmative Action Loan Scheme programme a total of 3.4 million hectares have been acquired at a cost of N$762 million.
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