07 Dec 2015

The Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Thapelo Olopeng has urged the business community to relieve the government and take over sport sponsorship. 

Addressing a breakfast meeting on the eve of the start of Botswana Games in Francistown on Friday December 4, Olopeng said the government was supporting sport with 100 per cent sponsorship.

That, he said, was a challenge in the era of financial constraints. 

Taking over control of sport by the business community, he said would not only relieve and assist the government, but would in return make outstanding returns for businesses while the government would shift funding to other important developments.

He said the government was having it tough in terms of finances. He added that although the economy had grown in 2013 and 2014 at a pleasing rate, economists have projected that the economy was not going to grow at the anticipated rate of 4.5 per cent, but could only grow as far as 2.7 per cent. 

That, he said, was a challenge because it led to restructuring of some projections and hence distorted progress of some issues.

He added that commodities such as diamonds, which the country’s economy relied on, were not doing well in terms of sales.

Olopeng said that had motivated the government to tap into foreign reserves and come up with the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) in order to revive the economy. 

He called on the business community to be supportive of the programme and advice the government accordingly when there was need.

He said it was important for them to take ownership of the programme because they would do the actual ground work.

Furthermore, the minister said Francistown has taken the leading role in hosting sporting activities. He noted that the city has witnessed historic moments such as the Zebras games where for the first time in the history of the country, 26 500 spectators watched a game of football.

He called on the community of Francistown to take ownership of the games and to see to it that they host successful sporting events.

Meanwhile, Botswana Games patron, Abel Khupe said it had been a challenging journey for them to prepare for the games.

Khupe said through support and unity between the business people and the leadership of the city, they were ready for their visitors. ENDS