Nuusita Ashipala

OSHAKATI - In its mission to reduce the backlog of 92 000 housing applicants, the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) last Friday handed over 41 houses at Oshakati, one of such recent handovers.

The 41 houses are part of the 200 houses NHE is currently constructing at the town that will cost prospective owners N$338 000 to N$625 000.
In addition to the housing ceremony at the town, the mayor at Oshakati Angelus Iiyambo announced that council will hand over 250 houses early next year to reduce the council’s 5000 housing backlog.

The houses were handed over by the Minister of Urban and Rural Development Peya Mushelenga.
To reduce the NHE backlog, NHE CEO Gisbertus Mukulu said NHE is ready to construct an additional 559 houses in the next financial year.
Mukulu however, said the low-cost housing enterprise is only going to construct houses in towns where land has readily been availed.
 Such towns include Walvis Bay with 366 houses, Okakarara 40, Outapi 82 and Karibib with 71.
He said there are also plans to construct town houses in Windhoek.

The Special Advisor to the Governor of Oshana Region Michael Mwinga applauded NHE for the success.
He however appealed to prospective developers to look into constructing affordable houses for young professionals within the range of 260 000 to 350 000.

“This will front the lead to wealth creation and prosperity as they currently spend much of their salaries on renting,” said Mwinga.
Mushelenga in his address said while recommendable efforts have been made to deliver the much needed houses to the people, there is an equal urgent need to reduce the informal settlements.

“I need us to declare a war against informal settlements and deploy our efforts and resources to do town planning and to formalise informal settlements,” Mushelenga said.

In addition,  the minister said efforts should further be directed to constructing bulk services to connect people to basic services and to further construct decent affordable houses for the people.