Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Agro-marketing and Trade Agency, through its corporate social responsibility programme, donated food items to Angolans who are camped at Etunda in the Omusati region on Saturday.
According to Agro-marketing and Trade Agency (Amta) communications officer Pasval Elijah, the donation, made up of 32 tonnes of maize meal and 5 000 head of cabbages, was made in response to Omusati governor Erginus Endjala’s request.
The donation was presented by Amta’s northern regional manager Jacob Hamutenya and Endjala. Amta was established under the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry to manage fresh produce business hubs and national strategic food reserve facilities, in order to achieve food security.
Since the beginning of March 2021, Angolans living at the border provinces of Cunene and Huila have been crossing into the Omusati and Ohangwena regions in search of food, water, medical services and employment opportunities.
They comprise mostly children, mothers with young children and the elderly. In March, Endjala said more than 7 000 Angolans were camping at various sites in the region due to food insecurity in their country.
He told The Namibian that the Angolan and Namibian governments were looking for solutions to the humanitarian crisis. “Angolan nationals are flocking to Namibia because of hunger, and as such we should not turn them away or close borders on them… We need to assist them where we can,” Endjala said.
In March, the Office of the Prime Minister also donated 500 bags of maize meal and 2 000 cans of tinned fish to the Angolans in the Omusati and Ohangwena regions.
