24 Aug 2014

The Poverty Eradication Programme is progressing well in the North East District, council chairperson, Mr City Kealotswe told fellow councillors at the start of a full council meeting in Masunga on Thursday, August 24.

Councillor Kealotswe informed councillors that statistics showed that the success rate of the programme far surpassed its failure rate.

He pointed out that if all stakeholders could strengthen their teamwork, Botswana would be over with poverty by the year 2016.

He revealed that the district had been allocated just over P1 million by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development for the implementation of poverty eradication programmes for the current financial year.

Mr Kealotswe, is also the concillor for Mapoka ward, said the mobilisation of beneficiaries had since started, adding that training would start next month.

On other issues, the council chairperson told the meeting that the North East District had been allocated 305 radios for distribution to deserving senior citizens.

However, he highlighted that 476 elderly people had been found to be eligible to benefit from the radio set initiative.

He said the district had been advised to show its need and request for additional radios to cover the shortfall.

As for the destitute housing, councillor Kealotswe said the district had been allocated 25 houses for destitute persons out of which 19 were being constructed.

He explained that the construction of the remaining six houses had been hampered by the lack of land rights certificates for beneficiaries as well as delays in connection of water to the plots at which the houses would be built.

He emphasised, however, that all efforts were being made to resolve all pending issues.

On yet another matter, Mr Kealotswe said the North East District Council (NEDC) had signed contracts with 39 local groups for the supply of bread to local schools.

He explained that of the total number of suppliers, 16 were projects funded through the Poverty Eradication Programme, while one was funded through the Youth Development Fund.

The other two, he said, were funded through the Out of School Education and Training Programme while the remaining 20 of the suppliers were self-funded. ENDS