LAND GALORE IN NORTH WEST
Please apply for plot allocation - Tawana Land Board Chair
TAWANA Land Board reforms promise a good year ahead for Ngamiland people, especially farmers and those looking forward to being allocated land both for residential and commercial purposes.
“People are encouraged to apply for land allocation as plots are now available in the district,” Land Board Chairperson, Emmanuel Dube, said at a media briefing last week.
According to Dube, in the year ahead, 2022, at least fifty (50) ranches will be allocated in Kuke and Setata area while thousands of others will be allocated for residential and over 300 for commercial purposes.
Dube further explained that livestock ranches have been demarcated in NG5, which is located between Kuke and Setata fences.
“The ranches are demarcated in an area which has existing boreholes and this means that the owners of those boreholes will be considered for allocation of ranches encompassing their boreholes,” Dube explained.
If there will be some ranches which are not affected, Dube added, the board will decide how to dispose of them.
In regard to residential plots, the board has, during the current financial year, allocated 2 124 plots against its target of 5 652 and contends the allocation is still ongoing.
“In addition to the initial target, more plots have been approved during the year at Shakawe, Gumare and Seronga Land Board areas, increasing the number of available plots to 8 680. The additional ones will be allocated in the fourth quarter and some in the next financial year,” explained Dube.
Interestingly, the board is still grappling with a waiting list of over 37 000 applications for residential land and over 10 000 of agricultural land in Maun area alone.
Another challenge facing the board is mushrooming of squatters in Maun area, which the chairperson described as worrisome.
“The board continues to take necessary steps to curb this practice by talking to people and making decisions for people to move voluntarily and the board will take further actions,” Dube added as he urged people to apply for land because plots are now available in the district.
In addition to residential plots, there are 310 business plots available, 210 which are applied for through Maun Sub Land Board, 30 in Sehithwa, 33 in Nokaneng and 46 in Gumare Sub Land Boards and, according to Dube, these are expected to be allocated early next year.