Uutoni calls for more land for NHE

URBAN and rural development minister Erastus Uutoni has urged local authorities to make more land available to the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) to build affordable housing for the people.

He said providing housing is a critical challenge in Namibia with a backlog of more than 100 000 and demand exceeding supply hence the need for more land for housing construction.

Uutoni was speaking at the handover of a construction site at Outapi on Friday for service facilities and 82 NHE houses through a public private partnership (PPP) agreement.

“I therefore urge local authorities to avail land for housing construction. We have done enough talking and planning, let us see the results on the ground from all of us.

“Whenever there is a new township established in town, please avail a number of erven to the NHE for affordable housing construction as part of its mandate. For towns that are already availing land, projects are continuously going on.

“Those proactive local authorities are reaping the benefits of housing development, not only through collection of rates but also the expansion of their local economies,” he said.

Uutoni further said it is evident that there is a serious housing shortage throughout the country and the provision of housing should not be left to government alone as government will not provide all the resources required despite all its noble intentions.

“It really cannot be correct that a government-owned institution established with the sole purpose of building affordable houses is struggling to get affordable land from another government institution, which is a local authority,” he said.

Sam Shivute, NHE board chairperson said the housing enterprise will construct 82 houses at Outapi worth about N$3,7 million.

This year, NHE will construct 335 houses valued at about N$124 million in towns across the country.