Govt enlists private trucks to expedite drought relief distribution

RUNDU: The government has enlisted the services of private trucks in all 14 regions of the country to expedite the distribution of drought relief items. Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila stated this in the National Assembly recently in response to Popular Democratic Movement member Diederik Vries, who asked what urgent interventions government has implemented since the announcement of the state of emergency on drought last month. Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said through the Namibia Vulnerable Assessment Committee, it amongst others identified the shortage of transport as one of the factors hampering the distribution of drought relief food items. 'Other needs identified include insufficient warehouses to store food items in, as well as a lack of sufficient manpower,' she said. The prime minister said several shortcomings in the drought relief programme are being addressed. 'Government is hard at work to acquire private warehouses in the regions to augment the shortage, and also recruiting additional pers onnel to assist the regional disaster field coordinators with more beneficiaries,' Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said. She further said food assistance to vulnerable households has been extended to 25 June 2025. Seeds and horticulture provision, as well as livestock support programmes, have also been extended until 31 March 2025. Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said the nationwide drought relief programme is estimated to cost government N.dollars 1.3 billion and the government, through the treasury, has allocated N.dollars 825 million to the programme. 'There is a funding gap of more than N.dollars 400 million for which government has appealed for assistance upon the declaration of the state of emergency,' she stated. Source: The Namibia Press Agency