Okakarara vet complex opens

THE Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, John Mutorwa, on Monday inaugurated the N$20 million Okakarara State veterinary office complex.

The construction of the complex, comprising a laboratory, an animal sterilisation theatre and an animal treatment room, was funded by the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA)-Namibia.

A veterinary post-mortem room, animal holding pens, a pharmacy, medical stores, five offices, two boardrooms and consulting rooms, amongst others, can also be found at the facility. Livestock farmers from the Okakarara area, who attended the inauguration, indicated that they were happy to witness the facility opening for business.

The Kambazembi Royal House’s senior traditional councillor, Festus Ueriuka Tjikuua, who also farms in the area, thanked MCA-Namibia and the government for opening the facility. He said the primary focus of the veterinary complex will be to assist communal farmers in treating their livestock, and protecting the animals against disease.

Tjikuua said the meat and milk from cattle, goats and sheep are the main sources of food for hundreds of people in the Okakarara constituency. The chairperson of the Otjozondjupa Communal Farmers’ Union, Ramana Mutjavikua, said he wants to see this complex become a fully-operational animal laboratory centre.

Mutjavikua also urged local livestock farmers to make use of the facility, so that the relevant authorities could see the need for its future expansion.

Mutorwa said figures from his ministry’s Directorate of Veterinary Services show that the Okakarara constituency has about 87 971 cattle in total.

“There are also 30 156 sheep, 40 717 goats, 2 264 horses and 6 274 donkeys which continue to play a major role in sustaining the livelihood of our people in this area,” he noted. The complex is expected to employ two permanent veterinarians, animal health technicians, administrative officers and general supporting staff members.

Otjozondjupa governor Samuel Nuuyoma, MCA-Namibia’s deputy chief executive officer for Implementation Eline van der Linden, and charge d’affaires at the American embassy John Kowalski, were amongst those who attended the inauguration.- Nampa