Ongwediva Town Mayor Taarah Shaalyefu emphasised that, despite budgetary constraints, development remains a top priority to accelerate the town's growth. 

He made these remarks during the commissioning of a 200-metre road connecting the David Shikomba Complex and Oshana Mall, a project costing N$4 million.

Shaalyefu says their commitment is evident, as they last year embarked on the refurbishment and renovation of pump station no. 9 at Efidi Extension 3 to the tune of N$800,000.

They also constructed stormwater drainage infrastructure at extension 11 to a tune of over N$1.4 million and have provided electrical reticulation infrastructure at Sky Phase 1 to a tune of N$3.9 million. 

"The dilapidated state of the road between Oshana Regional Mall and David Shikomba Business Centre before the rehabilitation and upgrading project created a great deal of inconvenience to customers and slowed down business activities at the town's major business centres."

Lithon Project Consultant's manager, Cilliers Steyn, who oversaw the rehabilitation and upgrade of the road from a single to a dual carriageway, says they ensured that the project was completed on time.

The road, which was marred by potholes, especially during the rainy season, has now been interlocked. 

"We also addressed the issues of stormwater that were previously experienced in the area on the road by implementing a stormwater management system. We did that by designing the road in a way that it can manage the stormwater, and we have constructed a stormwater channel with a length of approximately 60 metres."

Additionally, the council has also commissioned streetlights along the C46 for N$2 million, and the streetlights along Ongwe and Rhino Street along UNAM's Jose Eduardo dos Santos campus for N$1.1 million.

The projects were all carried out during the 2022–2023 financial year.