N$1 bn needed to maintain State property

THE Department of Works needs an estimated N$1 billion to maintain Government properties across the country.

This was revealed by Works and Transport Deputy Minister Paul Smit when he officially delegated maintenance functions from the Department of Works to the Karas Regional Council at Keetmanshoop yesterday. The handing over of functions is part of a Government decentralisation policy adopted in 1996. Smit said it was difficult for a centralised authority to carry out maintenance, adding that the public had ‘heavily criticised’ the Windhoek head office for failing to maintain Government properties across the country.He said the handing over of the maintenance function to the regional authority is aimed at providing effective service delivery to the public and preventing the deterioration of properties. Smit warned that the decentralisation policy provides that maintenance functions can be taken away from the regional authority if it failed to deliver. Maintenance functions have already been delegated to regions such as Khomas, Omaheke and Erongo.Karas Governor Dawid Boois called on Government to speed up the decentralisation process that would result in regional councils having financial powers too.Boois said frequent suspensions of essentials services such as electricity and water supply to Government institutions should not be blamed on maladministration but on a lack of financial autonomy on the part of regional councils.