30 Nov 2014

MP for Tonota, Mr Thapelo Olopeng says the citizen economic empowerment was a perfect policy to benefit Batswana, and, as such, government should ensure that the wealth of the country benefits the citizens.

Responding to the State-of-National Address on November 27, Mr Olopeng said it was indisputable that the policy was capable of addressing unemployment especially among young people. He called on government to ensure that resources used at the mines were supplied by citizens, and that he was going to be alert to ensure that Batswana benefitted accordingly.

He said Batswana had always been obedient people who always respected the rule of law; he urged fellow MPs that form the 11^th Parliament to instill the attribute to the upcoming generation.

Mr Olopeng called for the respect of bogosi as it remained an integral part of society, adding that Batswana should not allow this important institution to disintegrate at the hands of modern politics.

He commended the Land Administration, Procedures, Capacity Building and Systems (LAPCAS as a good initiative to improve land administration in Botswana.

He said LAPCAS should be embraced as a good system for proper record keeping of land and that it should be everyone’s responsibility to guard against needless accusations that some people have stolen or allocated themselves huge chunks of land, when it is clear that, traditionally, land was allocated without any records.

He said the A1 Road that stretches from Ramatlabama in the south to Ramokgwebana in the north should have a certain allowance of space reserved along its sides to allow Batswana to venture into businesses along the country’s busiest road.

He said Small Micro Medium Enterprises could thrive along this road and at the same time curbing road accidents that usually affected houses that are nearby the road.

Mr Olopeng further said during his tenure as a minister responsible for youth, he will endeavour to look for land that will be used for youth economic initiatives around the country. He said hi ministry was currently looking into the matter as the youth were mostly failed by the lack of land to improve their lives.

“Even when they have promising business ventures, they end up giving up and selling their businesses because of lack of land,” he said. ENDS