The National Housing Enterprise (NHE) on Tuesday officially handed over 24 houses to beneficiaries at Ondangwa, constructed at a cost of N.dollars 12 million.

Speaking at the event, Urban and Rural Development Minister Erastus Uutoni said housing remains one of Namibia’s key development priorities and it is only when the land is reasonably priced by local authorities that lower-income groups are able to afford houses constructed by the NHE.

‘Decent shelter is a basic necessity of life, and as a government, we believe it is justified for the citizens as the sovereign to expect to have a place they can call their own,’ he said.

He then urged all local authorities to offer NHE land at the lowest prices possible in order to reduce input costs and subsequently improve the selling price.

Town Mayor Paavo Amwele said the town council has reserved another 64 erven for NHE to construct more houses, as part of its aim of meeting housing needs.

The area, known as Ondiyala, is fully serviced, and there are about 34
9 erven in the area, he said.

‘Council took this decision because we have seen the good work they are doing, they don’t sit on the land unlike other developers,’ he said.

NHE successfully handed over 50 houses in Omuthiya on Monday and is expected to hand over another 70 houses in Okahao on Thursday.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency