THE Millennium Challenge Account Namibia has awarded construction contracts to the value of N$214.4 million for development projects.

This is the largest singular contract package assignment since the implementation of MCA Namibia’s Compact programme in 2009 which ostensibly aims to reduce poverty through economic growth in the country’s tourism, agriculture and education sectors.

The contracts for the renovation and additional infrastructure of 14 schools, eight Community Skills Development Centres and four State Veterinary Offices were awarded to two Namibian and two South African construction companies: Nexus Group (Nam), Walcon Construction (Nam), Stefanutti Stocks (SA) and GVK Siya Zama (SA).

“The promises we made to the country, namely to provide adequate quality infrastructure and equipment for the improvement of service delivery to the communities, are coming closer and closer to realisation,” said Penny Akwenye, MCA Namibia’s Chief Executive Officer. In the education sector, MCA Namibia is complementing government efforts in providing and improving crucial infrastructure, such as additional classrooms, teacher hostels at rural schools, libraries, computer and science laboratories, sanitation facilities, water and electricity supply.

The funded Community Skills Development Centres are located in Opuwo, Ondangwa, Rundu, Tsumeb, Gobabis, Otjiwarongo, Swakopmund and Windhoek. At an average cost of N$14 million each, this latest MCA Namibia contract package is also assisting the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry’s Directorate of Veterinary Services with the building of four State Veterinary Offices at Outapi, Eenhana, Omuthiya and Okakarara. The contract for a fifth State Veterinary Office at Epukiro is still to be awarded.

Construction of these multi-million dollar infrastructure projects will commence at the end of this month and is expected to be completed within eleven months. To date, two thirds of MCA Namibia’s infrastructure budget is allocated and the remaining one third will be committed by the end of this year. Penny Akwenye said the remaining programme implementation period is until September 2014.

Through its five-year Compact Development Programme, MCA Namibia aims to provide grants to Namibia to the amount of N$2.2 billion, funded by the U.S. government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). 15% of the budget is allocated to agriculture projects, 20% to conservancies and half will go into the improvement of the country’s educational sector.