15 Jun 2014

Development planners have been urged to work together when implementing  plans.

Speaking at a three-day national planners seminar in Palapye recently, deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Local government and Rural Development, Mr Molefi Keaja said lands officers, economic and physical planners from the districts and ministries should work together when implementing development plans.

He said there was need for proper coordination between district, central government, ministries, private sectors and NGOs in order to realise the desired impact of government programmes and initiatives. Mr Keaja said the challenge was that planners were not taking into account what other sectors were doing.

“We need to improve on this as we go into National Development Plan 11/District Development Plan 8/Urban Development Plan 4 because fragmented and individual approaches to implementation of government programmes and projects is neither sustainable nor desirable because at the end of the day it is not cost effective” he said.

He said sectoral policies, programmes and projects were formulated such that they must complement each other. These programmes, he said compete for funding through national prioritisation as such the nation must get value for money spent on whatever was funded and implemented. He said during planning, sectors plan together but when it came to implementation sectors go back to the old system of planning as ministries. “It is evident that we are still working in isolation. How does a ministry planner know progress of a project that is being implemented in the district without getting in touch with a planner at the district?” he questioned.

Mr Keaja therefore implored planners at ministries to work hand in hand with the district planners as issues emanate from the districts where implementation takes place.

Furthermore he implored district planners to get in touch with communities they served, adding that development planning was about community consultations.

He said if planners were not in touch with communities they were planning for, there would always be a gap on what communities want and what government was providing, adding “we are planning with them not for them.” Furthermore Mr Keaja said as preparations for the national and district plans start, planners should take into account the new development initiatives that government had adopted as they could have a positive impact on the economy and improve the livelihoods of the people if executed effectively.

These initiatives, he said include local economic development which allowed for framing and managing of different facets of national development in an inter-connected way.
He said planners’ role was to guide the development of this country’s economy through National Development Plan 11, District Development Plan 8 and Urban Development Plan 4 adding that planners were in the forefront as implementation of the development plans lies upon their shoulders.

Mr Keaja also said they should ask themselves why the national economic growth has not translated into increased and sustainable employment, reduced levels of inequality and poverty, adding that there were some districts with higher levels of poverty, citing Ngamiland West at 46.2 per cent, Ngwaketse West at 41.7 per cent, Central Bobonong at 32.4 per cent and Central Boteti at 29.8 per cent. He noted that as they will be planning for the next six years, these are the issues that they really need to interrogate. ENDS