Namibian land deal stalled
2002-01-11 23:10
Windhoek - Namibian Lands Minister Hifikepunye Pohamba said on Friday his ministry lacked the funds to buy commercial farms for the country's resettlement programme, the Namibian Press Agency (Nampa) reported.
Pohamba told the agency that commercial farmers were willing to sell land, but many farms were too expensive for the government to buy.
"Towards the end of last year we had a positive response from
commercial farmers who were willing to sell their farms to the
government but there were not enough funds to purchase them," the
minister said.
"The government last year provided the Lands Ministry with
N$20 million (about R20 million) to purchase the land
unfortunately the money got finished after having bought only a few farms.
"Buying land in the commercial sector in this country is an
expensive venture as many farms are well-developed and a farm (can) cost more than N$2 million,"
Pohamba appealed for international assistance saying it was
essential for the maintenance of peace and stability, Nampa
reported.
He also urged landless Namibians to exercise patience.
Since independence in 1990, the Ministry of Lands, Resettlement
and Rehabilitation has resettled 23 285 people in communal areas and 6 515 people on commercial farms.
- SAPA