Omhajer: Benevolent Agricultural Site & Worth Visiting Destination

It is a semi-urban center which is believed to have a history that goes back to around 80 years. Situated some around 500 km from Asmara, Omhajer is among the dominant agricultural centers of Golij sub-zone in the Gash-Barka region. This semi-urban center is located in strategic areas which borders with two neighboring countries (Ethiopia and Sudan).

Omhajer is a house to seven of the nine ethnic groups of Eritrea with an exception of Afar and Rashaida ethnic groups. This semi-urban center has housed around 21,000 inhabitants which are grouped into 2,500 families.

This sub-zone is administered in a division of two administrative areas namely Selam (Peace) and Fthi (Justice) Administrative areas. The inhabitants of this semi-urban center earn their leaving relaying on farm, trade and on nomadic activities.

As Omhajer possesses a large and fertile agricultural area, the hard work of the farmers continues to payoff. Owing to its vast grazing area, a number of people who opt to earn their living as pastoralists have continued to flock to this area which is filled with multifaceted abundance. A dam constructed some four years back has become a reason for the growing number of livestock in this respective area. This dam has not only continued to supply adequate amount of water to the livestock with in that respective locality, but pastoralists from different parts of the country have continued to travel in search of water for their livestock.

How vast the farm area that has been cultivated in the rainy season of 2014 been and what is the prospect of agricultural produce? According to Mr. Daniel Oqbaegziabihier, Administrator of Omhajer, in this year, around 5000 hectares of farm land has been cultivated with different cereal crops and industrial seeds such as sesame, sorghum as well as rarely millet. Owing to extensive efforts of farmers and benevolent rainy season, most of the cultivated area is in a promising conduction. Sesame has already been harvested.

Despite being a fertile farm area, Omhajer is still lagging be¬hind in supply of electricity. Mr. Daniel is of the idea that this problem is expected to be solved in a near future. The inhabitants have already contributed some amount of money that would be dispensed in the installation of electricity lines in their respective area.

As regards telecommunication service and especially mobile service, Mr. Daniel said that people of this area has been very keen to become beneficiary of such a service. “We are expecting for the mobile service to begin in early 2015”, Mr. Daniel shares his optimistic outlook as regards the prospects of telecommunications service.

Like many other rural and semi-urban centers of the country, Omhajer has become beneficiary of fairly good healthcare service. The inhabitants of this respective area along with people from Katchero and other areas have been receiving healthcare service in a well established healthcare center. This healthcare center has been very helpful in combating Malaria which is among the recurring health problems.

Omhajer also has educational institutions ranging from pre-school, primary and a secondary school. This being the development in the education sector, the inhabitants are looking forward to have another secondary school that goes with the climatic conduction of their respective area that is equipped with ventilation devices.

This very semi-urban is also endowed with natural setting that is definitely an asset for tourism. The 700 meters wide Tekeze River which is covered with different natural vegetations is an attractive and worth visiting tourism site. The natural flora of this area has become a home to a number of wild animals such as elephants and antelopes. The big number of crocodiles in the Tekeze River is also another asset which makes the environs of Omhajer an area of enormous attraction.

Omhajer is among the many areas of the country which is known for its activities of domestic tour-ism. It has a growing number of visitors from different parts of the country who continue to flock for trade and agricultural activities. It has around 15 traditional hotels. A recently built modern hotel has given this semi-urban center an added beauty. Mr. Tesfaendrias Welday has indeed invested in the construction of a modern hotel which has been of a great need by a number of domestic tourists.