06 Mar 2016

It will take collective efforts to successfully combat crime, poverty and substance abuse, President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama has said.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Thamaga on Friday, President Khama  said high numbers of crime incidents affected the entire country due to moral decay among young people.
He said indiscipline, alcoholism and substance abuse contributed to lawlessness.

He said Seventh Adventist church ahad helped develop the country from the early days when resources were scantier than today.

President Khama encouraged all to go back to basics and teach children core values of Botho, which defined the society. This, he said, would shape children into well-rounded responsible citizens.

He said parents were critical development partners and therefore had a role to play in combating crime as was the case in the past where parents would monitor their children’s movements as well as teach them family chores. The President said, with their own hands, Batswana helped develop the country from the early days.

He said in meeting churches,  he realised that apart from looking after the spiritual well-being of the nation, churches were also not only concerned about education, rising moral decay and lawlessness within the society, but understood their role in nation building.

President   Khama said incidents of alcoholism and drug abuse were a sign that the society was regressing on earlier gains and prospects of the country because youths who were the future were implicated in alcohol and substance abuse.

He urged parents to take charge on behavior and attitude change among their children as such behavior had the potential to affect them in doing well in life and studies.

President Khama cautioned youths against thinking that alcohol and all night partying was the only route to enjoying life, but must turn their lives to God to experience ever lasting  joy and peace.

He said indulging in substance abuse and alcoholism youths should not  expect to lead a better life later in future as they would have wasted time, resources and risked their health.        

The President also expressed concern over some youth who misused social media platforms to bully and insult others, the acts he said promote lawlessness and criminal activities in Botswana.

Area Member of Parliament, Mr Tshenolo Mabeo, said inspiring words by the President would forever live in the hearts of the residents in their endeavour to guide their children to a better future. Ends