17 Sep 2015

Assistant Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele has called on councillors and the  council staff to encourage Batswana to take advantage of poverty eradication programme, form cooperatives and create wealth.

Mr Makgalemele said when addressing Moshupa Sub Council in Moshupa that the sub council should come up with modalities on how best the programme can be used to benefit Batswana.

Besides local market, the assistant minister reminded sub council, Botswana has access to the international market through Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA).

“Economic Partnership Agreements and AGOA guarantee access to both the European Union and American markets without any duties or quotas,” he said.

These trade and development agreements and their objectives are to reduce poverty, diversify economies and create employment through enhanced intra-regional integration and through a carefully managed opening towards the world economy.

The Shoshong legislator also called on council leadership to always ensure that they give priority to local businesses when procuring goods and services at all times.

Programme implementers he said should do away with poverty eradication backlog before end of September so that more beneficiaries can be mobilised.

Ms Kamogelo Theetso, the council principal economist hinted procurement of small stock to give to other beneficiaries remains a challenge to the sub district.

 “With other areas such as plumbing, tyre services and wielding we have resolved to attach beneficiaries to existing businesses.”

Another challenge, she mentioned is unavailability of water that has rendered backyard gardening a difficult undertaking.

Commenting, councillor for Moshupa North, Mr Wadikgotla Tsalaile wondered whether implementers had gone back on the sub council resolution not to approve further backyard gardening projects due to unavailability of water.

Councilor Tsalaile said the subcouncil has resolved that only existing backyard gardens will be given assistance.

Moshupa West councilor, Mr Olebogeng Sethibe called on government to reduce further red tape which he said stalls implementation of programmes.

He cited Government Budgeting Accounting System as one system that delay payment to suppliers.

Nominated councilor, Ms Sunah Dikgola commended Moshupa sub district employees for their sterling job. Thatwithstanding, Councilor Dikgola called on departments such as Gender Affairs to decentralise so that there could be speedy delivery of services to the general public. Ends