Africa-Press – Namibia. VELD fires have destroyed grazing areas in the Omusati region’s Okahao constituency.
This was said by Okahao Police Station commander inspector Michael Kamati when he addressed a farmers’ meeting at Ongandjera palace on Friday.
Kamati said despite grazing areas being destroyed by fires, farmers grazing their animals in the affected and nearby areas were not helping to put out the fires.
He said only the police and officials from the Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Forestry were extinguishing the fires. There are fires which continue to spread to other areas, he added.
“I am surprised that a big number of farmers have managed to show up at this meeting but they cannot go and extinguish the fire. So far only one farmer has joined us,” Kamati said.
Ongandjera Traditional Authority chairperson Johannes Kandombo suggested that those burning the grazing areas should be identified and summoned to the palace to be punished. EXTINGUISHED
Omusati police commander, commissioner Titus Shikongo, saID that all the fires that were destroying grazing areas on Friday afternoon in the Okahao, Otamanzi and Ruacana constituencies were extinguished.
He said the affected areas are Amarika in the Otamanzi constituency, Otoogo, Amega and Okeeholongo in the Okahao constituency and Okakango and Oshindumba in the Ruacana constituency. According the him, the fires did not only destroy grazing areas but also cattle posts.
