Patience Makwele

Oshana region Governor Hofni Iipinge has challenged government institutions to move from planning to delivery, saying residents are demanding tangible results as the region battles youth unemployment, infrastructure backlogs and delays in implementing strategic projects.

Presenting the State of the Region Address (SORA) on Monday, Iipinge said people expect hospitals to be built, roads to be completed, water to reach communities and employment opportunities to be created.

“The people of Oshana expect tangible results. They expect roads to be completed, hospitals to be built, water to reach communities, jobs to be created and opportunities to be expanded,” Iipinge said.

The governor described youth unemployment as “the greatest test of our generation”, despite the creation of 120 permanent and 1,681 temporary jobs through infrastructure development and public investment projects during the reporting period.

The region’s development agenda comes at a time when major projects continue to face procurement bottlenecks, funding limitations and rising infrastructure costs.

Oshana spent approximately N$180.1 million of its N$357.3 million capital allocation by the end of the fourth quarter, with investments spread across water, roads, electricity, healthcare, education and sports infrastructure.

According to Iipinge, among the projects requiring urgent attention are the long-awaited Ondangwa District Hospital, strategic road upgrades, expanded water and sanitation infrastructure, electricity expansion and increased investment in youth employment initiatives.

Iipinge also renewed calls for national support to construct a dual carriageway between Oshakati and Ondangwa, saying rapid urbanisation and economic growth have placed mounting pressure on existing infrastructure.

The governor reported gains in other sectors, including a 15% reduction in overall reported crime and a 12% decline in domestic and sexual violence cases.

He noted that more than 3,000 graduates were produced by institutions of higher learning and vocational centres operating in the region during the period under review.

Reacting to the address, senior lecturer in the department of mechanical and metallurgical engineering at the University of Namibia (UNAM), Dr. Silas Ithete Hango welcomed the progress recorded across several sectors but cautioned that implementation and prioritisation would ultimately determine whether the region’s development aspirations are realised.

“The government is doing its part in health, education and infrastructure development. But communities also need to meet the government halfway,” he said.

Hango argued that healthcare infrastructure should take precedence over road expansion, citing shortages of healthcare professionals, medicine supply challenges and increasing pressure on existing facilities.

“A nation without proper healthcare infrastructure is not a healthy nation. The priorities should be given to health infrastructure,” he said.

On youth unemployment, Hango urged graduates and young people to pursue entrepreneurship instead of waiting for government jobs.

“We should not just wait for government intervention. Young people can come up with businesses and create employment opportunities for themselves and others,” he said, identifying agriculture and the circular economy as sectors with significant potential.

He said graduates could play a critical role in improving food security and reducing dependence on imports by venturing into agricultural projects.

“We should not rely on imports of even potatoes and tomatoes. We need to invest in that,” he said.

Hango further called on councillors and traditional leaders to engage communities more closely to identify pressing development needs and ensure public resources are directed towards priority projects.

“The government cannot do everything alone. Communities also have a responsibility to contribute to development in whatever way they can,” he said.

However, some young people say employment opportunities remain elusive despite repeated commitments to job creation.

“We cannot keep producing graduates only to produce unemployment. Young people need opportunities, not certificates alone,” Desmond Simon Shipanga, an entrepreneur based in Oshakati.

Another young entrepreneur Namesho Popiyeni Lucas  echoed similar frustrations, saying access to business opportunities remains a major obstacle.

“We do not want handouts. We want an environment where small businesses can survive and grow. Many young people have ideas and the willingness to work but the barriers to entry are simply too high,” Lucas said.

Residents also raised concerns over persistent medicine shortages in public health facilities, arguing that healthcare delivery should remain at the top of the region’s development priorities.

“A hospital building means very little if patients still leave without medication. For ordinary people, medicine shortages are not statistics, they are daily realities,” one resident said.

The State of the Region Address, a constitutional requirement under Article 110 of the Constitution, serves as a platform for regional leaders to account for programmes undertaken during the previous financial year and outline priorities for the year ahead.