Staff Reporter
THE removal of illegally erected fences, decreed by the Ohangwena Communal Land Board last month, has finally started.
A total of 40 trainees from the National Youth Service (NYS) have been deployed to carry out the task.
The operation, which kicked off on Tuesday, is expected to last until Sunday. Approximately 20 illegal fences in the Okongo Constituency have so far been identified and earmarked for removal.
Photos: NYS
Speaking at Eenhana recently, Land Reform Deputy Director Paulus Amaambo said that when a decision is taken to remove a fence, the owner is notified and requested to remove it themselves. However, if they fail to comply, the Land Board steps in, removes the fence, recovers the costs from the owner, and the owner may also face criminal charges.
The issue of illegal fences has plagued the Northern Communal Areas (NCAs) for quite some time, with large tracts of land fenced off illegally by well-off individuals, thereby depriving local farmers of what was supposed to be communal grazing area.
The NYS said it has deployed 40 trainees from its 16th intake as part of the second phase of training under the NYS Voluntary Service Programme. The operation commenced on 17 February 2026, at Okambali village.
“The exercise forms part of NYS’s continued efforts to support government programmes aimed at promoting lawful land administration, protecting communal land rights, and strengthening community development initiatives. It is part of a national effort led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform in collaboration with the Ohangwena Communal Land Board,” said the NYS.
The issue of illegal fences has led to disputes among farmers and between farmers and traditional authorities in all four Northern regions—Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, and Ohangwena—as was the case recently in Oshikoto, where village headman Sam Nepando was shot and killed, and village headman I-Ben Nashandi was seriously wounded.
