Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698747319746.pdf (Namibia)
Intervention on the Budget by Hon.

Prof. Peter H. Katjavivi, MP National Assembly 13th March 2012 Hon.

Speaker, Hon.

Members, First of all I wish to thank and congratulate the Minister and the entire team that presided over the preparation of this budget.

Having taken a critical look at the budget statement and the macroeconomic plan, we are reminded of our country's commitment to economic transformation.
According to our Vision 2030 and Industrialisation Policy 2012, Namibia is committed to industrialisation.

Whereas we welcome the budget framework, we need to acknowledge that, a considerable amount of work has to be done.

Indeed, we need water and energy to contribute towards this endeavour!
Given the relatively high levels of electricity imports, we have to increase our efforts in green technologies, in terms of energy operations and also for purposes of harvesting water from seasonal floods that annually find their way into Namibia from Angola, Southern Africa and Zambia.

Hon.

Speaker, Hon.

Members, On the question of energy, we need to put all measures in place to utilise all available energy in the country.

As we all know, Namibia is an electricity deficit country.
Therefore, it is not sustainable or even logical for us to allow a situation where we continue debating whether to do this or the other indefinitely.

It is in this context that we welcome government's determination to expedite the development of Kudu Gas field(s).

We are all reminded of the 1 experience of China.

China for example is what it is today partly because of electricity development which has enabled their industrialisation drive.

South Africa is expanding its industrialisation drive.
This would imply that they will have to cut down on the electricity that may be available for the rest of the region.

So, we must be prepared to sustain ourselves when this time comes.

Now and again, we are faced with issues of food insecurity and flood hazard risk.

We need to ensure floods management and sustainable water utilisation.
The Cuvelai Project (Cuve Waters Project) spearheaded by DRFN, the Polytechnic of Namibia and GIZ has tried to do appreciable work m collaborative water resource management in the central northern parts of Namibia.

What we now need to do is to find a way to integrate these efforts with actual water harvesting and storage.
We need to construct massive underground water storage facilities so that we can utilise the stored water elsewhere for agricultural production, industrial use and household consumption, whenever needed.

As a country, we have a challenge; whereas some areas are in dire need of water, others are laying under floods.

Indeed green technologies can help us to harness these waters.
In the recently held National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBSAP) workshop in Windhoek, one of the experts helped the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to identify constructed farm wetlands (CFWs) coupled with underground storage and windmill pumps, as the way to go.

This coupled with measures that could be adopted to lessen the impact of drought in the country could go a long way in addressing some of the challenges confronting our country.

Hon.

Speaker, Hon.
Hon.

Speaker, Hon.

Members, A number of colleagues who contributed to this debate before me referred to the question of investigating the possibility of piping water from one part of the .country to areas in need of water both for human consumption as well as for 2 agricultural production.

Certainly, this is an urgent matter that will require the attention of the relevant line ministries.

Some of us are aware of what has been done in other countries in this regard.
For instance, there has been a similar initiative involving academic institutions in eastern and southern Africa to galvanise flood water harvesting and storage.

What we however need is more government active participation in this nature of projects.

Institutions of higher learning can experiment, but we need the government to actually operationalize and extend such initiatives on a wider scale through relevant ministries and institutions.
This is vital particularly at this time when the country is facing eminent drought.

Hon.

Speaker, Hon.

Members, I finally wish to echo the sentiments expressed by Hon.

Dr. Ankama when he expressed disappointed over the role of some civil servants in our government system.

I have a particular concern with some of the civil servants in the Ministry of Transport & Works.

I will transmit the concerns of the community in Ovitoto to the Minister.

With these remarks, I positively welcome the budget.
I thank you!

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