Namibia’s Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, John Mutorwa, has unveiled the names of nine of the eleven members of the first ever Water Advisory Council.
Mutorwa recently said the situation of water shortage is very worrisome, with major dams such as Von Bach and Swakoppoort significantly low, while the Omatako Dam is said to be completely dry.
The appointment follows last week’s joint management committee of the Namibia/UNESCO Water Support Project (WSP).
Members of the Water Advisory Council appointed so far were selected from the Association of Regional Councils of Namibia (ARCN), the Association of Local Authorities in Namibia (ALAN), water service providers (WSP), basin management, the agricultural sector, commercial sector, industrial sector, engineering sector and various academic institutions.
Those nominated by ARCN are Khomas Rural Constituency Councillor Penina Inga Ita and Okorukambe Constituency Councillor Raphael Mokaleng.
Oshakati Mayor Katrina Shimbulu and Windhoek mayor Muesee Kazapua were nominated to represent ALAN, while water service providers will be represented by Onni Ithete. Betty Muyatwa will represent the basin management, while the chairperson of the Namibia Agronomic Producers Organisation, Gernot Eggert, will represent the agricultural sector.
The commercial sector will be represent by Lapitomhinda Hashingola. Academic institutions will be represented by Dr Alfons Mosimane.
He said the first meeting of the council will take place on October 5 in Windhoek and he will then announce the name of the chairperson, as well as those representing the engineering and industrial sectors.
Recently a Joint Management Committee of eleven institutions, part of the Namibia-UNESCO Water Sector Support Project this week singed a historic agreement that will see the implementation of the water project. The International Hydrological Programme through the United Nations’ Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is working at governments request to conduct water research, resources management that includes education and capacity building efforts in the water sector.
