31 Aug 2014

The national vision is a necessary long term strategy for any country to guide its developmental process, Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Mr Kenneth Matambo has said.

Officially launching the Vision 2016 commemoration month at Tsootsha in Ghanzi District on August 30, Minister Matambo implored all stakeholders to embrace the vision saying it was crucial in guiding developments.

Mr Matambo said this was time to reflect on the success attained and overcome on the drawbacks. Commemorated under the theme: Living the Vision: Yame le Wena, Mr Matambo noted that the importance of these awareness months saying they also helped the Vision Council to evaluate the implementation of the vision.  

The theme, he said, was relevant and appropriate to the current social, cultural, economic, political and religious circumstance in this country.

Mr Matambo also said the vision should unite Batswana as a people with common beliefs and goals. He therefore implored them to work together in the spirit of attaining the goals of the national vision.

Minister Matambo highlighted some of the achievements as increase of primary and secondary school enrolment from 318 629 and 108 373 in 1996 to 340 326 and 175 038 in 2013 respectively.

Electricity connectivity also, Mr Matambo said, had increased from 63 per cent to 70 per cent between 2011 and 2013. He also highlighted that 77 per cent of the population of Batswana had access to safe drinking water in 1996 and the number had since increased to 96 per cent in 2011.

The poverty radar, Mr Matambo said, had dropped from 47 per cent in 1993 to 18.4 per cent in 2013. And politically, the World Governance Indicator scored Botswana’s political stability at 89 per cent in 2012 from the 77 per cent in 1996, Mr Matambo highlighted.

Although there had been some progress, Mr Matambo acknowledged some challenges, which were still facing the country and noted these could derail the country from achieving the goals of the vision. Challenges such as high unemployment among the youths especially, poor work ethics which he said affects investment and economic growth.

The increase in road accidents was also one factor which Minister Matambo noted was a challenge to attainment of the vision; with an increase of 178 487 cases recorded in 2012 compared to 174 791 cases in 2011. With only two years to 2016, Mr Matambo implored all Batswana to re double their efforts to live the Vision. 

He said if the objectives of the vision were achieved, all should be proud of attaining those goals and also said if some of the goals are not achieved; no fingers should be pointed but rather learn from lessons and move on towards the fulfilment of the next long term Vision. ENDS