THE Ministry of Urban and Rural Development says the Build Together programme is designed for low-income earners, with preference given to applicants earning N$6 000 or less, amid calls to review its requirements to accommodate more people in communities such as Aroab.
The ministry’s response follows concerns raised by Aroab community activist Jannie Jobs last week, after the village council reportedly granted a housing loan to an applicant earning N$14 700 a month, which was flagged by an audit report for the 2024 financial year.
Jobs argued that the case may not be isolated, calling on the ministry to reconsider the programme’s income restrictions to allow more residents to access housing loans.
“Is this programme meeting its purpose in communities where residents who qualify may struggle to afford repayments, while those earning above the threshold are excluded despite needing assistance to build homes?” he asked.
However, the ministry, through executive director Wilhelmine Shivute, says preference is given to those earning N$6 000 and below because the programme targets people without collateral, particularly ultra-low and low-income earners.
“The ministry has allowed loans to be extended to applicants residing in no-lending zones, particularly at village councils,” the ministry said, adding that approval is granted based on requests from the councils.
The ministry was also asked whether local authorities had ever returned Build Together loan budgets, because they could not find qualifying applicants.
It says no funds were returned to the ministry, explaining that allocations are transferred annually to regional councils and local authorities upon request.
Shivute says loan repayments from beneficiaries are deposited into the councils’ revolving accounts to support the programme.
Under the programme, applicants must earn no more than N$6 000 monthly and be at least 21 years old. Applicants above 50 must have a co-applicant.
Formal employment is not compulsory, as people earning through informal work or self-employment may also apply, provided they meet the other requirements, Shivute explained.
She says the maximum loan is N$80 000, repayable in monthly instalments over a period of up to 20 years.
The ministry cautions that meeting the basic requirements does not guarantee approval, as every application is assessed, including the applicant’s ability to repay the loan.
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