| Windhoek, 14 December 2020 – On 13 December 2020, Namibia Wildlife Resorts Limited (NWR) took note of photos that circulated on social media depicting the condition of the Namutoni fort which was, and is, closed off from general public use. The fort has been closed off for several years with the intent to renovate it to its former state for both the domestic and international market. Returning it to its former state entails the relocation of accommodation facilities back to the fort as was the case in the past. It also involves replacing the wooden deck at the viewpoint.
The envisioned renovation is estimated to cost about N$ 20 million, of which NWR does not have at the moment. However, it has been proactively engaging different stakeholders with no success. It is for this reason that the NWR management team a few years ago opted to close off the fort up until they could secure the necessary funds to realise the project. “Though, as NWR, we do not condone the filth that has accumulated within the fort. The removal of dilapidated structures and cleaning is something that has been addressed immediately and going forth we will do periodic cleanups up until we have renovated the fort” says Dr Matthias Ngwangwama, NWR Managing Director.
NWR welcomes constructive criticism. However, the company is also aware of lobbyist groups pushing for privatisation of the country’s resources, such as parks and resorts, for a self-serving agenda. It is in this light we would like to inform those with such interest that there should be no need to pull NWR down to achieve the above agenda as public-private sector co-operation can be accommodated under the Public Procurement Act (Act No:15 of 2015), Public-Private Partnership Act (Act No: 4 of 2017), State Finance Act (Act No: 31 of 1991). |
