Africa-Press – Namibia. LOCAL authorities are struggling to repair and properly maintain their roads due to financial constraints and inefficient funding methods.
In a submission to the Association of Local Authorities of Namibia (ALAN), Moses Matyayi, who doubles as ALAN chairperson and Otjiwarongo municipality CEO, expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that funds collected from motorists are not shared with local authorities.
Road usage funds for both national and urban roads are collected by the Road Fund Administration (RFA), while local authorities are expected to construct and maintain urban roads.
This funding model, according to Matyayi, is questionable and unbalanced.
“Local authorities are expected to maintain the roads while we do not collect fees from motorists, as in the case of water or other services we offer. For example, if a person drinks water at Otjiwarongo, they pay the municipality for that service.
“Why can’t local authorities derive revenue from the usage of such road infrastructure?” he asks.
The RFA in 2021 collected N$2,2 billion in revenue, of which N$737 million was collected from vehicle licence registrations and renewals.
Matyayi says these funds are collected from motorists and include heavy and long-haul trucks that exert pressure on town roads and streets.
He says the vehicles also cause damage to pavements and kerbs.
“What is interesting is that only N$105 million was allocated to local authorities and regional councils combined,” Matyayi says.
He questions how the RFA decides how much and on what basis it allocates funds to local authorities.
According to him, many local authorities require an average of N$10 million to N$20 million annually for the maintenance of surfaced roads, excluding the construction of new ones.
Other countries in the southern African region collect funds for local authorities, through an urban roads authority.
“There is a need for such an authority in Namibia. There is a critical need for more funding to the amount of at least N$1 billion for road maintenance from the RFA to commensurate what all 57 local authorities need,” Matyayi says.
RFA spokesperson Scheifert Shigwedha says over the past 21 years the fund provided about N$30 billion for road infrastructure maintenance and development to approved authorities, comprising 57 local authorities and 14 regional councils, traffic law enforcement, as well as the Roads Authority (RA).
He says the national road network has grown over the years to about 49 000km, to which the majority of funds are channelled.
“The bulk of the RFA’s reinvested fund has gone to the RA as they administer the largest part of the 49 000km road network,” he says.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
