17 Dec 2015

The Permanent Secretary to the President (PSP), Mr Carter Morupisi, says the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) is a bold blueprint for the urgent delivery of national priorities.

He said this was done to keep up with government’s commitment to the nation to achieve accelerated job creation, poverty eradication and provision of world class education. 

Mr Morupisi said this when addressing public officers on the Economic Stimulus Programme in Kasane recently. 

Chobe District commissioner, Mr Keolopile Leipego, highlighted that planning activities geared towards implementation of the ESP have already started at the Chobe District Council and Tribal Administration.

Mr Leipego said the district was implementing five major development projects worth over P2.5 billion.  

“Various programmes such as poverty eradication, Ipelegeng, LIMID and Youth Development Fund geared towards generating employment have already started,” he said.

Mr Leipego stated that in an endeavour to serve the community of Chobe, they still faced challenges of shortage of transport and inadequate housing. About 180 central government officers were said to be on the waiting list.

“We are also developing an Agricultural Hub to be activated through the Agro-Zambezi project and a Transport Hub, which will be supported by the multi-billion pula projects of Kazungula bridge, the Kasane International Airport Terminal building, the Kasane/Kazungula Redevelopment projects and the envisaged Rail-way line project,” he said. 

He stated that Chobe was set to become a district of hubs, and as such a beehive of economic activity.

Mr Leipego said the Ministry of Education and Skills Development had planned to overcome the backlog of maintenance to ensure that schools provided quality teaching environment.

Meanwhile, the deputy Chobe District Council secretary, Mr Thatayaone Balapi encouraged departments to work together to improve the economy of the country. 

Some public officers appreciated the good working relationship between departments but raised a concern that the problem arose when one office had to be refunded for assistance provided.  

Mr Balapi advised them to always refund people or offices that had helped them well on time so that they could maintain trust and good working relations. 

Ms Lokae Radikatse, a cook at the Chobe Brigade, complained that ever since she was employed as a cook about 22 years ago, she had not been trained. 

She asked that they be provided with accommodation nearer to the school because they feared for their lives as they could be attacked by wild animals when going to work early in the morning. 

In response, Mr Balapi said there was still shortage of housing for employees. He also encouraged officers to enrol with BOCODOL to improve their education level.  Ends