Housing is a human right
By Victor Angula|
The most important service in any town or city is the provision of water, and then food and healthcare. But few things are as serious and critical as the need for housing.
Housing ranks immediately below the need for adequate food and clean water. Housing is a basic need, a fundamental necessity for all human beings. Decent housing is critical because it does have an effect on children’s early childhood cognitive (mental, intellectual, cerebral) development, and on children’s self-concept and self-esteem.
Housing is not only a basic need, it is also a human right. Decent housing is one of the things which provide human dignity, self-worth and self-concept – especially in children.
Human beings who are alive do not have to live in holes, caves, hovels or in shanty structures created with materials collected from rubbish dumps. If people are living in the modern world they have to live in housing units where they would feel at home and feel that they belong to the human race.
During colonial times there used to be government houses, and government flats. But how come with the democratic government of Namibia the government at the national level and local level does not want to build houses?
Of course it is a good thing if people are building their own houses, or are buying their houses. But in this country it is very clear that the majority of the people have no ability to build their own houses. The reason for this is that the people have no money to afford building materials, and paying for the land, or to pay monthly fees for housing loans.
So that there is a need for the government to build houses for the people to live in. Houses which belong to the regional governments and local authorities, so that the people will live there paying small rental fees.
Only if someone has lived in the same house for 20 years will the house become his or hers legally.
Those who can afford to build or to buy their own houses must do so, but those who cannot afford must choose to live in government houses, until such a time that they are able to build or buy own houses.
Perhaps this is not a great idea as it will cost a lot of money for the government to build the houses. But it is worth trying. Small by small, the government can start, and in ten years’ time few people will be living in shacks.
This will be a great thing because housing is a human right.
– Victor Angula is the editor of Omutumwa News Online. He can be reached at victorangula@yahoo.com
