Of unfinished Govt projects

Aconsiderable number of government projects – mostly worth millions of dollars - are lying idle, either abandoned by contractors or simply struggling to take off. Over the years, there has been a trend of appointed contractors struggling to meet project deadlines due to a number of factors, including shoddy work, site disputes and financial constraints.

In Kavango East, the fisheries ministry’s regional headquarters at Rundu is yet to be handed over to the authorities, despite work having started over nine years ago.

Government has spent about N$28 million on the project, including consultancy fees in the region of N$4 million, while the fisheries ministry has taken up renting space at the Namibia Industrial Development Agency (NIDA) in Rundu at a monthly cost of N$27 000.

Oume Construction was initially contracted in 2012 by the works ministry to construct the Rundu office at a cost of N$14 million.

However, work on the project came to a standstill after the ministry of works reportedly refused to pay the contractor due to unclear reasons.

This led to a dispute, resulting in the termination of the contract by the works ministry on 19 January 2015.

Africa Civil Engineering was appointed to work on the project on 6 August 2015 at a cost of N$16 million, but this contract was also terminated on 30 October 2018.

Despite attempts and promises to revive the project last year, there have not been notable developments as the building remains inaccessible, with no completion certificate issued.

In neighbouring Kavango West, inhabitants there were literally over the moon when former President Hifikepunye Pohamba officiated the groundbreaking ceremony meant to pave way for the construction of a new district hospital in Nkurenkuru.

The groundbreaking was eventually performed in 2015, while the project’s site was also fenced off after being cleared.

Now seven years later, the project is yet to take off, and no single activity has happened on site since Pohamba performed the sod-turning ceremony.

In the meantime, inhabitants of the region have to travel 130km to Rundu to seek essential healthcare, which may not necessarily be provided at the local clinic in Nkurenkuru.

The nearest hospital at Nankudu, according to former health minister Richard Kamwi, was not at the level of a district hospital to serve as a referral facility.

Some years ago, Kamwi also made it clear that the Nkurenkuru hospital idea was part of a roadmap specifically developed to look at infrastructure development as recommended by a commission of inquiry, which looked into the state of healthcare around the country during the Pohamba administration.

There are many other public projects neglected and lying idle across other parts of the country, despite endless emphasis by authorities to take development to the people. However, leaders need to be very clear on how they spend taxpayers’ money.

There is no doubt that the construction industry drives economic growth, more so when undertaken within regional settings, allowing even informal traders and semi-skilled workers to benefit from potential spinoffs.

But the days of just rolling out projects - without due diligence and a danger of creating false hopes - should be put to an immediate halt.

While projects mostly fail because of delays, cost overruns, poor requirement standards, total abandonment and poor planning, there is equally a need to ensure that before any project is rolled out, comprehensive mapping, coupled by tasks and schedules for the project, are outlined before funding approvals.