By: Uakutura Kambaekua – Okakarara

Okakarara residents owe the town council a staggering N$ 43 million in unpaid water, erven and other council service bills for years.

The accounts, according to Okarara mayor Olga Tjiurutue are backdated to more than seven years, and this is hampering the town’s provision for service delivery, which, she says, has resulted in the decline of service delivery.

In a recent interview with The Villager, Tjiurutue stated that the council had inherited these debts from the previous council. She added that it’s now up to the new leaders at the council chambers to own up to the responsibility of finding amicable ways to recover the debts.

 

Tjiurutue said that the debts negatively affect the council’s operation, noting that N$ 43 million is quite a substantial number and thus decelerates the council’s operation.

“Should the funds be recovered, a lot of council operations would have been done in terms of service delivery. Land could have been serviced by now. Some land is partially serviced due to our low cash flow and lack of funds. If people who owe the council settled their dues, the council would have provided the much needed developmental projects,” added Tjiurutue.

The mayor further stated that the council has sought assistance from debt collectors to assist them in recovering the debts.

“We have appointed the debt collector to help us collect these monies,” said Tjiurutue. She revealed the council will be running a pre-paid water meter pilot program set to benefit 1 300 customers to strengthen the water meters in the whole town to reduce outstanding funds.

According to Tjiurutue, only a small portion of residents honour their debts, while some make arrangements and then go into hiding. She said this prompted the council to introduce the pre-paid water meter and seek assistance from debt collectors.

She said the council has also taken a resolution to write off 50 per cent of debt on council houses.

“For all town council houses, we are only asking the customers to pay off 50 per cent of the remaining amount, but still they are failing to honour the offer. For instance, if someone owes the town council N$ 10 000, the town is only asking, for example, N$4 000, and we write the rest off.”

Tjiurutue also stated that the town is running its operation on zero balance; thus, the council is now operating on hand to mouth condition.

“The council situation is so dire that it now operates on hand to mouth situation. Council does not even afford to save any single cent because the money we collect goes straight to our daily operations and minor services,” added Tjiurutue.

According to the mayor, the predicaments have put the council in a precarious position with its creditors like Namwater and suppliers by not honouring their own obligations.

“Council owes Namwater more than N$ 13 million due to the community’s negligence in failing to honour their debts. The council is also struggling to pay the employee’s medical aids, etc. If our community could happen to pay these millions, we could have changed this town drastically,” she said.

Moreover, the mayor says there is a huge demand for water supply, sewer reticulation, electrification, formalisation of locations, electricity and more from the council.

She said the council has thus far provided cheaper houses for only N$ 14 000 at Ohamakari location, with additional houses at extension 6 for N$ 55 000 for people with housing allowances.

Tjiurutue also charged that the town could not honour its obligation in service delivery with all debts from the community, urging those in arrears to settle their debts or face repositioning of their properties, especially those accommodated in town council houses.