05 May 2020

A total of 7 434 households in the Okavango Sub-district has been assessed for the COVID-19 food relief programme as at May 3.

Senior assistant council secretary in the district, Mr Masaoko Katora, said of the assessed households, 6 536 were eligible for food hampers and 3 441 had already been assisted.

Mr Katora said 27 villages had so far been covered in terms assessment and distribution while eight were yet to be visited.

He also noted that a total of 3 505 needy pupils had been provided with food hampers from all the remaining school provisions prior to the lockdown.

Meanwhile, Mr Katora said some of the challenges they encountered during the food distribution exercise included  low turn up of private transport hire due to the revised fee of P15 per household, which the transport owners felt was low.

He, however, noted that 53 vehicles had been engaged in the food distribution exercise, out of which seven were from land board and 46 from local and central government.

Furthermore, he said inadequate supplies from retailers also compromised delivery of food packages.

In another issue, Mr Katora said some farmers in the district would deliver farm produce even without being appointed by the relevant authorities. ENDS