The Ministry Lands and Resettlement has made significant strides in driving the land distribution programme through the willing buyer-willing seller model since the country attained independence.
This was revealed by the Ministry’s public relations officer Chrispin Matongela who also added that Government spent a whooping N$240 million to acquire land for resettlement in the last financial year.
“For the time being I would say we are very satisfied with what we have achieved in terms of the land reform programme and should there be any changes we will gladly inform,” he said.
His sentiments also come at a time when calls for land distribution have been increasing with some quarters agitating for reclamation of their ancestral land while most people in towns have been calling for urban land.
He also added that although progress has been made the process has not been without challenges as sometimes the process has moved slower than expected.
He, however, reiterated that utilisation of some of the farms allocated by the Government has been worrisome.
“It is still a challenge that some people who received land are not really utilising it and sometimes it leaves the impression that it will have been better to give the land to someone who can use the land better,” he said.
Matongela also added that, “The Ministry acquired 25 farms last year alone and this might seem like it is a small number but we actually exceeded the set target that we supposed to met.
Per year we are supposed to acquire about 90 000 hectares but we actually acquired 1550000 in the past financial year which almost double the set targets.
That alone shows that progress is being made.”
Matongela also added that the Ministry in its quest to hasten the process of land distribution and redress colonial imbalances Government has to date registered 104 792 customary land rights giving holders an opportunity to access financing from financial institutions.