Residents of Otjiwarongo should expect to pay more for their monthly municipal bills, effective, 01 July 2023.

The municipality’s rates and taxes will increase by three per cent, solid waste by seven per cent, water tariff by eight per cent, sewage services by six per cent and two per cent for cemetery services.

This was announced at a special council meeting held on Wednesday afternoon by the chairperson of the management committee Godhard Hoko, when he tabled the municipality’s N.dollars 183.1 million capital and expenditure budget for the 2023/2024 financial year.

“These average tariff adjustments have been proposed on water, property rates and taxes, refuse removal services, cemetery and sewer services,” he said.

At the same meeting, the Otjiwarongo deputy mayor, Julienda Kampungu said she was in full support of the budget as it solely focus on the needs of the inhabitants as the municipality ensures that its solid economic base is created.

Kampungu said out of N.dollars 183.1million tabled N. dollars 37,3 million if for capital projects while N.dollars 145,8 million is for operations and expenditures including the maintenance of existing infrastructure.

“Council will continue to subsidise pensioners and recipients of government social grants on their monthly bills for water, sewage and sanitation services provided by the municipality,” Kampungu said.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of the municipality, Moses Matyayi in an interview with Nampa shortly after the budget tabling, defended the decisions made, saying the increases on the monthly rates and taxes as well as on water bills were based on the costs of service delivery to the residents.

Matyayi said the municipality’s approximately 9 000 households are still the major sources of revenue for the municipality through their monthly rates and taxes contributions, sales of land and water to the residents.

The budget will be forwarded to the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni for final approval before it is implemented, he said.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency