22 Oct 2015

The poverty eradication unit is working around the clock to meet the deadline set for the completion of the poverty eradication backlog. 

The coordinator of the Poverty Eradication Programme, Mr Olebile Gaborone said initially the deadline was June 30, but was later moved to September 30 before settling for  30 November. 

Speaking in an interview, Mr Gaborone said assessments for new beneficiaries have been stopped in order to concentrate on the backlog of beneficiaries who passed assessments but have not yet received their dues. 

He said as at the beginning of October, 3 751 projects were incomplete because beneficiaries were partly given the material needed or equipment while 15 434 beneficiaries have been assessed and were waiting for funding or equipment. 

Mr Gaborone said since the programme began to eradicate abject poverty, 18 145 projects have been funded and that 13 120 were operating while 559 have failed. 

He noted that failure of projects emanated from varying reasons such as loss of interest, abandoning the project and water challenges for water related projects. 

Mr Gaborone said the implementation of the programme was faced with many challenges, including high pricing of resources under the programme, lack of water for agriculture-related activities and migration of beneficiaries. 

He said some suppliers of small stock were unwilling to supply at the prices that government offered, adding that it contributed to the backlog problem. 

Poverty eradication is one of the government’s flagship programmes that was identified by President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama when he assumed office in 2008 to eradicate abject poverty through shelter provision and subsidies in agriculture as well as to assist the destitute to graduate to self sustainable livelihoods. Ends