The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources has called on the Zambezi Regional leadership to work in unity and ensure that officials are held accountable for the development in the region.

The Chairperson of the Standing Committee, Tobie Aupindi, made the call during the consultation with the regional councillors.

Dr. Aupindi pleaded with the Zambezi Governor and her team to keep the utilisation of natural resources in check as well as the implementation of development projects, making reference to the situation of the Kalimbeza Rice project.

He says there are strategic blunders within the Kalimbeza Rice project because the challenges there are too many but cannot be manageable.

"But if, honourable governor, what we have seen yesterday is anything to go by when we visited that Kalimbeza, then I think the breadbasket will soon turn into a basket case."

Another committee member, Immanuel Nashinge, stated that the Zambezi Region has fertile soil and is surrounded by rivers that can be put to good use.

"The waterfront is the same story. Until when/who are we waiting for to sort out that problem? We have lost about N$60 million if I am not mistaken. You know those that are responsible; you know those are the reason that the project has not gone far. It is about time we demand accountability and put each other under pressure to make sure that we deliver."

The committee is worried that greater opportunities from natural resources exist in the region but are not capitalised on.

Zambezi Governor Dorothy Kabula is disappointed with the fact that in addition to the Kalimbeza Rice project and the Katima Liselo farm, thousands of hectares are availed by traditional authorities, but the land is still lying idle while unemployment keeps rising.

Kabula is unhappy that while nothing came of the existing projects, which are abandoned, the status quo should change, as the new ones are still in the pipeline.