200 houses at Henties electrified

RESIDENTS of the Omdel suburb of Henties Bay celebrated last week when 200 low-cost houses were connected with pre-paid electricity meters for the first time.

It was the culmination of a project that started three years ago. Asser Kapere, Deputy Minister of Works, Transport and Communication and Regional Councillor for the Arandis Constituency, called the achievement a milestone worth the pride of the people of Henties Bay.A large crowd gathered to celebrate a project which was initiated by a tragic event.In 1998 a resident lost his life in a fire that destroyed his shack.A committee was established after the incident, today known as the Omdel Housing Committee.A meeting was called with the Municipality and Minister of Regional, Local Government and Housing from which the housing project was born.Two hundred houses were built after the Ministry and Municipality committed N$1,95 million and N$1,5 million respectively.The installation of pre-paid electricity meters cost a further N$1,4 million.”These houses now have all the basic services – water, sanitation and electricity,” said Kapere.He urged parents to ensure their children now spent more time on their studies.He also asked residents to maintain their property, beautify their environment and live in peace with one another.The provision of electricity has made a huge difference at the household of Anastasia Ganes.She has lived in her house for three years.In April she was able to switch on a light, cook food without gas or wood and watch television for the first time.The book case in the lounge is already packed with a hi-fi system, television and video machine.”It has made a huge difference.We are so happy,” she told The Namibian.Jason Ganaseb, member of the Omdel Housing Committee, said the provision of electricity had given them life.”We always felt like we were neglected and did not really matter.Now we can live without the fear of fires as we were dependent on candles for light.We no longer have to rely on gas, which is very expensive, or wood, which is a very scarce commodity at Henties.”The process of public participation in the provision of electricity to the community was praised by the Deputy Minister.”Democracy can only have a proper meaning if it is accompanied by people’s participation in the development activities of the country,” he said.He said it was important that people themselves identified their needs and actively participated in the process of improving their conditions of living, “and not only to sit and wait on the Government to spoon-feed them”.Peter Gurirab, CEO of the Henties Bay Municipality, said approximately 2 000 people at Omdel still lived in shacks.”Water and pre-paid electricity services are supplied to those residents who have applied for it,” he said.Asser Kapere, Deputy Minister of Works, Transport and Communication and Regional Councillor for the Arandis Constituency, called the achievement a milestone worth the pride of the people of Henties Bay.A large crowd gathered to celebrate a project which was initiated by a tragic event.In 1998 a resident lost his life in a fire that destroyed his shack.A committee was established after the incident, today known as the Omdel Housing Committee.A meeting was called with the Municipality and Minister of Regional, Local Government and Housing from which the housing project was born.Two hundred houses were built after the Ministry and Municipality committed N$1,95 million and N$1,5 million respectively.The installation of pre-paid electricity meters cost a further N$1,4 million.”These houses now have all the basic services – water, sanitation and electricity,” said Kapere.He urged parents to ensure their children now spent more time on their studies.He also asked residents to maintain their property, beautify their environment and live in peace with one another.The provision of electricity has made a huge difference at the household of Anastasia Ganes.She has lived in her house for three years.In April she was able to switch on a light, cook food without gas or wood and watch television for the first time.The book case in the lounge is already packed with a hi-fi system, television and video machine.”It has made a huge difference.We are so happy,” she told The Namibian.Jason Ganaseb, member of the Omdel Housing Committee, said the provision of electricity had given them life.”We always felt like we were neglected and did not really matter.Now we can live without the fear of fires as we were dependent on candles for light.We no longer have to rely on gas, which is very expensive, or wood, which is a very scarce commodity at Henties.”The process of public participation in the provision of electricity to the community was praised by the Deputy Minister.”Democracy can only have a proper meaning if it is accompanied by people’s participation in the development activities of the country,” he said.He said it was important that people themselves identified their needs and actively participated in the process of improving their conditions of living, “and not only to sit and wait on the Government to spoon-feed them”.Peter Gurirab, CEO of the Henties Bay Municipality, said approximately 2 000 people at Omdel still lived in shacks.”Water and pre-paid electricity services are supplied to those residents who have applied for it,” he said.