Africa-Press – Namibia. URBAN and rural development minister Erastus Uutoni has urged banks not to turn away low-income earners approaching them for loans to build houses.
According to the minister, banks turn away this group because of the low interest returns they get from them.
“Let’s change. If someone comes and says they need an N$80 000 loan, give them because the market is so big. Your interest is a lot,” he said.
Uutoni said, “It’s time to adjust our cultural way of doing things…you can’t be a happy bank if these people are suffering. You can give loans to the Shack Dwellers Federation, as well as to Build Together.”
He made the remarks at the launch and ground-breaking ceremony of the Ompumbu housing development at Oshakati on Friday.
The minister said upon completion of the project, those on the Oshakati Town Council’s waiting list, especially first-time home owners, would be accommodated in the allocation of the houses.
“I, therefore, encourage the mayor and the leadership of Oshakati town to continue to make more land available for the low-to- middle-income earners. This will not only help to expand the town in size but it will also increase the council’s revenue base,” Uutoni said.
The N$305 million housing development programme was awarded to northern-based business person Ben Hauwanga of BH Properties.
Speaking at the same event, Hauwanga said the construction of the three-year housing development project will provide employment to about 400 to 600 Namibians.
He also said he will subcontract 20 constructors who would be required to each finish a house every month.
“It means in 15 days (monthly), we will have 20 houses already from the floor level. We will give you want you want,” Hauwanga said.
The entrepreneur further said the government cares for the people because it built roads for them.
He said people blame the government for everything but they do not appreciate it for the good roads such as the Okatana-Ongwediva road in Oshana region.
“If you compare Namibia to West African countries, those things (good roads) don’t exist. This road with two lanes on both sides…it’s like you are in Europe. Let’s thank the government for that, instead of saying bad things about it,” he said.
Last week, Uutoni handed over 195 houses built by the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia, and commissioned the construction of 100 houses under the Build Together programme at Oshakati.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
