Martin Endjala
The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) Movement has announced its intention to investigate what it calls a waste of infrastructure and taxpayers’ money.
The planned investigation involves an abandoned crocodile farm near the Kwando River at Kongola in the Zambezi region, valued at N$100 million at the time of its inception.
AR’s chairperson in the Kongola Constituency on Thursday told the Windhoek Observer that they stumbled upon the project during an oversight visit in the area of Kongola last weekend.
“This project has been standing now for years. Many young people in these areas had high hopes for employment. But this never materialised. As you can see, the project has become a white elephant, and we want to send a message to the incumbent government that this is not acceptable. Something needs to be done,” he said.
The Kongola settlement is situated some 117 km from the main regional centre of Katima Mulilo.
The rivers in the area have a sizable crocodile population that sometimes attacks and kills humans as well as livestock.
In a video clip circulated on social media, the AR’s leader, Job Amupanda voiced his concerns about the abandoned project.
“N$100 million is what went into this project. If you look at the roof. They will probably have to restart the process over again because the roof has now fallen off,” he said.
According to him, the uncompleted project was a good initiative. He believes that due to strategic leadership, the project was unable to come to fruition.
He said his party will investigate the unfinished project to ensure its successful implementation, thereby boosting the tourism sector and creating jobs.
The Ministry of Trade and Industrialization initiated the project, and the Namibia Industrial Development Agency (NIDA) carried it out.
This was initiated as far back as 2011 but failed to get off the ground as it has been put on hold for various reasons, including a lack of funding by the government.
Work stopped in 2015.
The contractors abandoned the site between 2016 and 2017 due to a contractual dispute.
Approached for comment, Richwell Lukonga, NIDA’s acting chief executive officer, said that the project has not been abandoned and that work is still ongoing.
“As we speak, there is work being done and next week the National Youth Service will be facilitating some phases of the project. We must be aware that it’s election time and people will always want to push a certain narrative. But there is work being done,” he confirmed.
Lukonga said NIDA, like many entities, was not spared by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Currently, Namibia’s only crocodile ranch at Otjiwarongo is a success story in terms of international markets and as a tourist attraction.
