Omuthiya waives interest on municipal accounts

Omuthiya residents will get seven months interest free on their overdue accounts as part of efforts to encourage them to pay their bills, town council spokesperson Ottilie Shingenge said on Tuesday.

The waiver period will start on 1 December and will run until 30 June next year.

Shingenge said the council has initiated an interest relief programme during its ordinary council meeting held on 2 November.

“The Omuthiya Town Council has passed a resolution to write off interest accumulated on all consumers’ accounts, who are willing and able to settle their debts within a seven-month period,” she said.

She said the interest relief programme is applicable to all council account holders categorised as residential, commercial, townland and shack dwellers, and other private entities such as profit and non-profit organisations.

“However, this relief programme does not apply to ministries, agencies, offices and state-owned enterprises,” Shingenge said.

She said residents currently owe the council an amount of N$32,7 million.

“Residents are required to come to the council and make payment arrangements,” she said.

Omuthiya mayor Johannes Ndeutepo said the council made this resolution as part of its financial management plan.

“Some residents have had council accounts from when Omuthiya was proclaimed a town.

“However, some residents have not been paying for their accounts, resulting in their accounts accumulating interest,” he said.

Ndeutepo said this has resulted in residents owing the council an amount of more than N$32 million in rates and taxes.

“Some residents have been approaching the council, requesting it to waiver their debts. The council has debt management policies, and we have just exercised that,” he said.

Former Omuthiya deputy mayor Petrina Shiindi last year tabled a motion for the council to write off all outstanding debts on all residential accounts and outstanding interest on business properties and accounts.

Commenting on the matter, Shiindi, who is currently on suspension due to alleged misconduct, said she was happy that the council has considered some of her ideas.

“At least the residents will feel their cries have been heard,” she said.

Shiindi encouraged residents to make use of the opportunity and settle their accounts.

Helao Nafidi mayor Darius Shaalukeni this week said some residents’ debts are historical, resulting in the council having difficulty tracing account owners.

“Some people have died and some have moved to Angola and all that and the system is just billing. Now who will you follow? I also think it is not a council mandate to waive residents’ debts, but the urban minister needs to authorise that,” he said.

“We wish we had the mandate to do so,” he said.

The Namibian in September reported that the Oshakati Town Council has waived interest on municipal accounts.

Oshakati residents were given 10 months interest free on their overdue accounts as part of efforts to encourage them to pay their bills, town council spokesperson Katarina Kamari said.

The waiver period started in September this year and will last till June 2024.

Kamari said Oshakati’s residents owe the town council N$80,2 million.

Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, she said a good number of residents are coming up with payment agreements.

“We are seeing some who have completely settled their accounts, and some who have come up with payment plans.

“It is still early, and we hope many will come forth to make use of the opportunity,” Kamari said.