10 Jan 2016

The Assistant Minister of Health, Dr Alfred Madigele has dismissed as unfounded and misleading speculative views by some people who hold the impression that the distribution of developments in Botswana is not balanced.

Dr Madigele said during a kgotla meeting he addressed in Mogojogojo that such sentiments should not be entertained lest they fuel divisions. He remarked after one of the residents, Ms Maggie Dikgomo opined a lot of developments were skewed towards the northern part of the country as opposed to the south.

“I am not going to waste time on unfounded truth, but it is a given that the government of Botswana has always tried to equally distribute developments across the four corners and the recent Economic Stimulus Programme attests to this truth,” he said. It is in this context therefore that Molapowabojang/Mmathethe legislator felt the matter should be condemned in the strongest possible terms as it has no basis.

On other issues, he told residents that a lot is expected from the Economic Stimulus Programme whose intent is to inject life into the ailing economy, create employment and help diversify the country’s economy away from diamonds.

He said for instance that Mogojogojo through ESP also stands to benefit as its health post will be upgraded to a clinic.

“A project to maintain the primary school in Mogojogojo will also be carried out through the stimulus programme.”

Meanwhile, Dr Madigele who also paid a courtesy call on residents of Gopong called on residents to remain calm while a lasting solution is being sought in regard to the Two Teacher School in the village.

He called on relevant stakeholders to hold a meeting forthwith to resolve the issue once and for all.

Residents said in a kgotla meeting that the decision by Good Hope Sub council to transfer all standard three pupils to schools in Digawana and nearby villages is not proper and called on authorities to rescind the decision forthwith.

However, chief education officer, Ms Ruth Matlhape reminded residents that the school has always been a Two Teacher School since its establishment which means it only has Standard One and Two classes.

“Even if we were to hire teachers, there are no classrooms let alone teachers’ houses to accommodate them because of the nature of the school,” adding if parents wish to have their school expanded they should do so with relevant authorities.

Good Hope Sub-district chairperson and councillor for Mokgomane/Metlojane, Ms Gladys Molefe also called on parents to be calm while the matter is addressed and pleaded with parents to allow concerned pupils to attend school in nearby villages while the matter is being addressed.

Gopong Village Development Committee chairperson, Mr Molaodi Mothowagae complained about Mmathethe sub land board delay to allocate residential plots in the village; a problem he said has dragged for a long time.

Mmathethe Sub-land board chairperson, Mr John Ikgopoleng acknowledged delay but promised residents something will be done to arrest the situation soon.

The board’s main undoing, he said has been shortage of human resource in particular physical planners to conduct mapping which has to be done before any allocation can be done.

“The nationwide LAPCAS campaign has also compounded the matter by over-stretching the little human resource base we have,” he said. Ends