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Location & background

1.1 Population and Geographical size

Omuthiya is the capital town for the Oshikoto Region in Namibia. The town has been proclaimed in October 2007 and the Omuthiya Town Council established in September 2008. The estimated current town population is 3 800 of which 2800 are female and about 1000 male, according to the 2011 census. The council however, predicts the current town population to be about 5 500.00 people. The location of Omuthiya is shown below. It is uniquely situated on the world famous Etosha Pan, between the main towns of Ondangwa in the north and Tsumeb in the south.

The town is servicing a surrounding community of approximately 80 000 people. A sharp increase for the community of the Town is expected with the development that is taking place, the business opportunities that are being created and the regional and municipal government jobs. The surface area of Omuthiya townlands covers 12,497 hectares (incl. part of the Etosha National Park).

The main road and railway line crosses the town, resulting in ribbon type urban settlement along the road. Away from the road, agriculture is the main economic activity with tourism becoming increasingly important with direct access from the Etosha National Park via the King Nehale Gate.

Tourism is an important industry and more and more international tourists include nature-based tourism into their trips. Hunting has become a growing industry.

Omuthiya’s ready for action

The Dutch company, Edel Grass, which was contracted by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to construct an artificial pitch at Omuthiya on Friday handed over the completed pitch to the Omuthiya Town Council.

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Okashana generates over N$5 million

OMUTHIYA – Okashana rural development centre in Oshikoto recorded an income generation of over N$5 million for the 2018/19 financial year. The institution, situated about nine kilometres south of Omuthiya, operates in areas of hospitality, community outreach, marketing and appropriate technology.

About N$1.7 million was collected from hospitality through catering and provision of accommodation facilities, and received 4 391 visitors; while more than N$3.3 million was generated from sales of 265 appropriate technology products.

Through appropriate technology, the institution manufactures and produces products such as animal drinking troughs, animal feed crushers, hammer mills, mahangu threshers, marula pressers, rocket stoves, brick moulds, VIP toilets and slabs, pit latrine pots and water tank stands, among others.

“The revenue collected could be far higher, but due to the economic downturn we have experienced a reduction in the number of customers. For instance, in hospitality we could generate over N$2 million as opposed to now,” stressed the head of the centre Naftal Nakashwa.

He also said the procurement system has derailed some of their activities due to the long process in acquiring materials that are needed to keep the work running. With the delays, he said, money was lost.

Under the financial year under review, two accommodation units were renovated at a cost of N$608 962.

A total of 54 students from different institutions of higher learning in the country were offered internship at the centre; 35 students were trained at the department of appropriate technology, six at community outreach and 12 at hospitality.

Further training was extended to rural areas whereby 312 community members across the region’s 11 constituencies were trained in poultry farming –– 36 in piggery production, 37 in horticulture and a further 227 in home economics-jam making.

As part of its community outreach arm, the centre further distributed 13 piglets to seven beneficiaries for community development programmes in the region.

Foreword by the Chief Executive Officer

This year 2018, was a year of reckoning, said His Excellency President, Dr. Hage G. Geingob. That tone alone was enough for Omuthiya Town Council to realign and plan within the framework of the call of His Excellency the President. As a Chief Executive officer…

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