The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism will spend close to N$48 million on renovating facilities at Etosha and Hardap national parks.
This was said by ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda in a statement issued last week.
He says upgrades have started at the Anderson, Von Lindequist and King Nehale Lya Mpingana entrance gates, and some facilities at Etosha.
The entire project is expected to be completed by July 2025.
In addition, the ministry will also upgrade facilities and infrastructure in the Hardap National Park at a cost of N$7,2 million.
Muyunda says visitors to Etosha who use these gates should expect disruptions and dust, and should therefore exercise caution.
“During this process, safety protocols at the gates will be put in place by the contractor,” the statement reads.
In addition to the entrance gates, some sanitation facilities at Etosha will be upgraded to ‘comfort stops’, consisting of toilets, picnic areas, information displays, viewing platforms and adequate parking areas.
“The objective is to invite visitors travelling from one part of the park to another to take a rest on the long journey, to access the information displays, and to enjoy the tranquillity of nature in a safe and appealing environment,” the ministry says.
The ministry says a total of eight sanitation facilities will be upgraded at Olifantsbad, Homob, Thatch Roof, Okerfontein, Andoni, Sprokieswood, Springbokfontein and Sonderkop.
“We will also construct two new comfort stops at M’Bari between Okaukuejo and Olifantsrus,” Muyunda says in the statement.
At Hardap National Park the upgrading of three existing gates (the main gate, fish route gate and game park gate), two existing ablution facilities or picnic spots (Lorelei and Bakvis), and the construction of four new ablution facilities and picnic spots will be undertaken by the ministry.
The upgrades are being financed through NamParks’ ‘V’ project, a development programme of the Namibian government executed by the environment ministry and co-financed by the Federal Republic of Germany via its development bank KfW.
– email: matthew@namibian.com.na
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