EDITORIAL: Deliver life-saving boreholes
The death of seven-year-old Nangura Rosvitha Mukerenge at Hoha village in the Kavango East Region last week due to a crocodile attack must serve as a stark reminder of how incomplete government projects, aimed at improving the lives of people, continue to deprive thousands of Namibians of a decent life.
Government spent money to drill a borehole in the village last year, but it was never installed. Plans to put up a borehole in the area were a result of the never-ending human-wildlife conflict cases over the years because villagers were forced to risk their lives by fetching water from the river for household consumption.
It is therefore unacceptable that such a resource be abandoned halfway while community members continue to suffer. At this stage, it is understood that the borehole installation process was stopped due to limited financial resources.
During 2001 and 2019, people in 79 communal conservancies throughout Namibia reported 112 165 human-wildlife conflict incidents (averaging 5 903 reports per year).
Official statistics indicate that eight people have died in Namibia as a result of crocodile attacks since 2019, with government forking out more than N$2.3 million in compensation to families affected by crocodile attacks, some of them fatal.
The situation is so dire that government recently announced that it would be putting 40 crocodiles up for sale as a measure to control the rising crocodile population, which is seemingly posing a security problem for communities.
With that said, those tasked with delivering services to our communities must do so without fail at all times.
Government spent money to drill a borehole in the village last year, but it was never installed. Plans to put up a borehole in the area were a result of the never-ending human-wildlife conflict cases over the years because villagers were forced to risk their lives by fetching water from the river for household consumption.
It is therefore unacceptable that such a resource be abandoned halfway while community members continue to suffer. At this stage, it is understood that the borehole installation process was stopped due to limited financial resources.
During 2001 and 2019, people in 79 communal conservancies throughout Namibia reported 112 165 human-wildlife conflict incidents (averaging 5 903 reports per year).
Official statistics indicate that eight people have died in Namibia as a result of crocodile attacks since 2019, with government forking out more than N$2.3 million in compensation to families affected by crocodile attacks, some of them fatal.
The situation is so dire that government recently announced that it would be putting 40 crocodiles up for sale as a measure to control the rising crocodile population, which is seemingly posing a security problem for communities.
With that said, those tasked with delivering services to our communities must do so without fail at all times.
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Namibian Sun
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