By: Helen Andreas
Ongandjera Traditional Authority Friday met the community members and the farmers to discuss the issues of wildfire, stock theft, and deforestation.
The meeting was held at the Ongandjera palace.
Some of the areas and villages mostly affected by the wildfires include Amarika village in Otamanzi constituency; Otoogo, Amega, Okeeholongo in Okahao constituency; Okakango Oshindumba in Ruacana Constituency, and many surrounding cattle posts in those constituencies.
The chairperson of the Ongandjera Traditional Authority, Johannes Kandombo, said the community must protect the forest, wildlife and livestock.
Kandombo also said the forest of Ongandjera is facing extinction, as farmers are cutting down trees without permission from the traditional authority and the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism.
He further said farmers have to scale up efforts to safeguard the environment as provided for in the forest Act 13.2005.
On the water issue, Kandombo said the farmers should obtain permission to drill boreholes and wells.
“For those who are found guilty on the matter, the ministry of agriculture and the traditional authority will ask them to pay a fine of anything between N$50 000 and 60 000,” he said.
The Ongandjera Traditional Authority spokesperson Sakeus Shiimi Shangula, urged the farmers to avoid overgrazing and erecting cattle posts in the areas that have more cattle without permission from the traditional authority.
“It has come to our attention that we have more farms than we anticipated. Farmers are putting up structures without permission and we urge them to follow the right procedures within the traditional authority,’’ he said.
The Ongandjera Traditional Authority also urged the community members to refrain from causing wildfires in the area and report the culprits so that they can be brought to book.
Okahao Police Station Commander Inspector Michael Kamati, who spoke during the same occasion, said it was disheartening to see a large number of people showing up at the meeting while they failed to render their support to put down the wildfire reported in the area the past week.
However, Omusati police regional Commander Commissioner Titus Shikongo, told Eagle FM that the large tracts of grazing field were completely destroyed.
“Some mahangu fields and cattle posts were destroyed, while the small livestock were reportedly killed.
“The reports from my teams in those areas confirm all fires were extinguished. There are no reports of fresh fires reported on Saturday morning.
Comments