Staff Reporter
THE issue of illegal fences, which has plagued the Northern Communal Areas (NCAs) for quite some time, is being addressed, with a total of 22 such fences already identified and earmarked for removal in the Ohangwena Region.
A large number of farmers have fenced off large tracts of communal land without approval from the Communal Land Board, a matter that has — more often than not — led to disputes among farmers and between farmers and traditional authorities, as was the case recently when village headman Sam Nepando was shot and killed and village headman I-Ben Nashandi was seriously wounded, while Sinskus Johannes has been arrested and is currently in custody.
The incident occurred in the Iikokola village in the Onayena constituency of the Oshikoto Region on Friday.
Addressing newly elected councillors at Eenhana on Tuesday, Land Reform Deputy Director Paulus Amaambo said that a total of 22 illegal fences have been identified in the Ohangwena Region and are expected to be removed shortly.
According to Amaambo, when a decision is taken to remove a fence, the owner is notified and requested to remove it himself or herself. If the owner fails to comply with the request, the Communal Land Board will step in, remove the fence and recover the costs from the owner, who would also face criminal charges.
Photo: MICT Ohangwena
