Africa-Press – Namibia. ALMOST 70% of the Namibian population cannot afford conventional home loans nor access urban freehold land and professional services to own a decent home.
As tasked by Government under Vision 2030, the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) is mandated to construct houses for Namibians and provide financing. On Monday, the NHE brought joy to new home-owners in the Erongo region with the handover of 72 houses in Karibib and four in Omaruru.
“Accessibility to decent housing reduces stress and leads to improved mental health, while also creating a conducive environment for parents to raise their children appropriately,” NHE chairperson Sam Shivute said on Monday.
“Our ambitious ultimate goal is to construct at least 47 662 houses in Namibia by the year 2030.” He said the National Housing Policy is underpinned by Government’s desire and declaration that housing is one of its developmental priorities.
“Government’s role is to ensure that those households excluded from the market and conventional housing development mechanisms are given the opportunity to access land, housing and services, whilst concurrently creating an enabling environment for a vibrant housing market,” he explained.
Other policy frameworks include the National Development Plan Five (NDP 5) and the Harambee Prosperity Plan Two (HPP2). “HPP 2 spells out that the NHE is one of the entities required to play its role in participating in a more innovative and collaborative fashion aimed at achieving impactful reduction of the national housing backlog through the delivery of 20 000 housing units,” he said.
“The NHE has committed to deliver 25% of this target which represents construction of 5 000 houses during the HPP period.”
According to Shivute, Government places great emphasis on the importance of informal settlement upgrading, a programme which the NHE is currently participating in on a pilot basis in partnership with the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, the Khomas Regional Council and the City of Windhoek.
Under phase one of this project, the NHE was tasked to construct 300 houses. “Thus far 80 houses have been completed and handed over, while the dust on 220 informal plots is up in the air,” he said, adding “The tangible results that we are witnessing today are indicative of hard work, commitment and partnerships between the NHE and the private sector.” Shivute also thanked the Karibib Town Council for its support and the availing of land.
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