09 Dec 2015

The North West District Council has been allocated over P139 million to carry out projects under Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) for the financial year 2016/17 to 2018/19 financial year.

The council has been allocated the second largest share of funds after the Central District Council.

Council chairperson, Mr Reaboka Mbulawa told a full council meeting that the funds would be used to carry out primary school backlog eradication in eight primary schools in the district.

In addition, he said construction of the backlog eradication projects were anticipated to create 484 permanent jobs and 54 temporary jobs.

On other issues, Mr Mbulawa said the tribal administration received over P4 million for the construction of kgotla offices at Khwai, Samuchima  and Etsha 1. 

He said construction of the kgotla projects were anticipated to create 130 temporary jobs.

With regard to delivery of ESP by the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, Mr Mbulawa said 12 junior secondary schools in the district would benefit from the programme.

He explained that over P59 million has been allocated to construct seven science laboratories, 50 classrooms and 51 staff houses. Construction works are expected to commence before the end of the current financial year and that about 2 031 temporary jobs would be created.

Mr Mbulawa noted that the ESP programme was a response to the current challenge facing the country such as declining economic growth accompanied by a growing gap between the number of jobs and job seekers.

He said the government recognised the need to take a bold, proactive measure to stimulate the economy while accelerating public sector delivery.

 He urged all to take the programme seriously and ensure proper implementation, noting that the District Development Committee (DDC) would be responsible to drive and monitor the programme.

“This is not simply a government programme but an all-inclusive national project that should be embraced by all Batswana. The programme is all about empowering the private sector, parastatals as well as other non-government sectors to grasp the emerging opportunities that would lead to accelerated job creation and economic diversification,” he added.

Mr Mbulawa appealed for collectivism by all stakeholders to make the project a success. 

On poverty eradication roll out in the district, the house was informed that the council received over P3 million to clear the backlog of poverty eradication packaging for beneficiaries.

 

Of this amount, over P1.9 million was for the Maun Administration Authority and over P1. 5 million for Okavango- Sub-district.  Ends