Placido Hilukilwa<\/p>\n\n\n\n
LAND is a key factor in development since development happens on land. However, land is a limited resource that gets depleted; therefore, it is critical that the land available is well-managed and put to good use, said Oshikoto Governor Sacky Kathindi on Wednesday in his maiden State of the Region Address (SORA) under the theme, “Purposeful Action Towards a People-Driven Development.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kathindi said that over the past year, nine farms were assessed and demarcated for resettlement, laying the groundwork for improved land access and sustainable use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also reported that a total of 1,328 customary land rights were registered, marking a 96 percent achievement of the regional target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOver 2,000 land right certificates have already been handed to the Ondonga Traditional Authority for distribution,\u201d he said, adding that for the first time in the region\u2019s history, 22 Occupational Land Rights were registered, primarily supporting educational institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFurthermore,\u201d he said, \u201crevenue collection from communal and resettlement leases brought in over N$165,000, contributing to the sustainability of local land administration.\u201d He said that valuation services were also conducted across several local authorities and ministries to ensure accountability for public land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kathindi also touched on the strides the region made in promoting gender equality and child welfare through the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said various income-generating projects were supported in constituencies such as Eengodi, Guinas, and Omuthiya with a combined investment of N$100,000, which created jobs, improved household income, empowered women, and contributed to local economic resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFurthermore,\u201d he said, \u201csocial support for early childhood development reached 370 educators, who each received monthly subsidies ranging from N$1,500 to N$2,000, benefiting nearly 5,800 children under the age of four. Ten ECD centres in Nehale lya Mpingana, Tsumeb, and Onayena constituencies were equipped with educational materials valued at N$49,000.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the realm of child protection and gender-based violence prevention, Kathindi said that 135 survivors of abuse received comprehensive care and support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Awareness campaigns reached over 1,300 learners and more than 1,400 community members, educating them on positive social norms, digital safety, and non-violent conflict resolution. Psychosocial support was also extended to 272 vulnerable children, and court protection orders ensured the safety and placement of 35 children in alternative care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Male Engagement Programme reached 274 men and boys, fostering a cultural shift toward gender equality,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Governor said that in terms of statutory social services, 57,933 individuals benefited from social grants as of February 2025. These included support for child maintenance, foster care, disability, and old-age pensions \u2014 grants that have been instrumental in reducing poverty and supporting the most vulnerable members of society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Kathindi, oversight activities confirmed the safe placement of children at the Family Support Centre and SOS Children\u2019s Village in Tsumeb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He listed among the challenges the absence of a magistrate\u2019s court at Omuthiya, the seat of the regional government, as well as the lack of regional shelters for at-risk children, limited logistics for outreach, and numerous cases of grant misuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On rural electrification during the year under review, Kathindi said that the following rural projects were implemented:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Additionally, the following water pipelines were constructed during the year under review:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kathindi said that the rural electrification and extension of water pipeline projects created 111 temporary jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Governor Kathindi, the annual SORA is not about rhetoric or routine, but an opportunity to account, to examine what has worked, confront what has not, and ignite shared purpose for a future where no community is left behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is about reporting back to the people who entrusted us with leadership. It is about saying: here is where we are, here is how far we\u2019ve come, and here is where we must go together. It is about ensuring that the pulse of governance beats not only in the corridors of administration, but in the lived experiences of every citizen \u2014 from the young mother drawing clean water from a newly installed tap, to the learner entering a proper classroom for the first time, to the elderly pensioner whose dignity is restored through social protection.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He acknowledged and applauded the efforts of his predecessors for the good foundation laid and the progress achieved over the past years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur presence here is a declaration that governance is not confined to plans on paper but felt in the dusty villages, the rural clinics, the farms, and in every heartbeat of Oshikoto\u2019s resilient people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Placido Hilukilwa LAND is a key factor in development since development happens on land. However, land is a limited resource that gets depleted; therefore, it is critical that the land available is well-managed and put to good use, said Oshikoto Governor Sacky Kathindi on Wednesday in his maiden State of the Region Address (SORA) under …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":379828,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-379824","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n