Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security Minister Albert Kawana has urged the August 26 Company, which has taken over the construction of the Kunene police headquarters in Opuwo, to expedite its completion.
Dr. Kawana emphasized that his ministry, in collaboration with the police, is committed to improving the working environment for law enforcement personnel.
For many years, police officers in Opuwo have been working in a cramped, unsuitable office space that is no longer adequate for their needs.
Dr. Kawana has set a deadline for the project’s completion, requesting that it be finished by the 22nd of this month.
“We promised the residents of Kunene that we would build a state-of-the-art police regional headquarters, which will serve the community of Opuwo. As you can see, this building is very impressive, and it should have been inaugurated several years ago. That is why we are applying pressure and will not grant any extensions. The community of Kunene can no longer wait; they want to see this project completed so we can serve them and the Namibian nation.”
The August 26 Company took over the contract in August of this year from Onyofi Trading Enterprises and has committed to finishing the remaining work within seven days.
Site agent Jecy Sun reported that delays were primarily due to the unavailability of building materials locally.
“The aluminum windows are 95% complete, and in three days, all aluminum windows and doors will be finished. We will do our best to complete everything in seven days. Our team is fully committed to this effort,” Sun stated.
Minister Kawana toured the multimillion-dollar, state-of-the-art police headquarters with NAMPOL Inspector General Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo.
Shikongo noted that the project had been delayed for nearly ten years under the previous contractor, who had completed only about 60% of the work. However, he expressed satisfaction with the progress made by the new contractor thus far.
“The contractors who were given this project have made significant strides. When I visited last time, the media was also present. If you compare the current progress with what I saw previously, the difference is remarkable.”