15 Mar 2016

Several parliamentarians praised the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture for its initiatives on youth empowerment before adopting its budget estimates totaling P952.7 million on Monday. 

Debating the budget, the MP of Francistown West, Mr Ignatius Moswaane said the ministry was doing a good job on youth empowerment. 

The Botswana Democratic Party MP, however, asked for an increase in the ceiling of youth business funding under the Youth Development Fund (YDF) from P100 000 to P150 000. 

He said P100 000 was too little and does not meet demands of starting a business in most cases. 

Furthermore, Mr Moswaane asked the minister to review requirements for youth cooperatives funding and requested for the number of youth required to form a cooperative to be brought down from five to two, arguing that it was difficult for young people to raise the required number. 

“Two young people forming a cooperative should be funded with P250 000 and the amount should increase to P350 000 when three youth are involved in a cooperative,” Mr Moswaane proposed.

The MP for Palapye, Mr Moiseraela Goya also praised the ministry for doing a good job. He asked for the quota of reservations of government projects for youth owned enterprises to be upped to 45 per cent from the current 15 per cent.

He also asked the ministry to build an integrated sports facility in Palapye, saying land was already available.

Mmadinare MP, Mr Kefentse Mzwinila urged minister Olopeng to consider establishing offices for youth officers in all constituencies to facilitate the uptake of youth empowerment programmes. 

The MP further asked the ministry to develop an incentivised scheme aimed at encouraging youth to venture into cooperatives.

The MP for Molepolole South, Dr Tlamelo Mmatli urged the ministry to invest more funds in youth development and empowerment since the youth were vulnerable to poverty and unemployment.

He also called for an evaluation of the performance of the Youth Development Fund. 

“The youth in my constituency say they have lost hope in the YDF because their applications take too long before being funded. 

The ministry should also evaluate reasons why many youth businesses funded under the fund have collapsed,” Dr Mmatli said.

He also urged the ministry to facilitate easier access to land for youth business enterprises funded by government empowerment programmes.

Mr Olopeng explained that his ministry was in the process of developing a land bank. 

He said through the land bank they would borrow land to youth to operate their businesses from. Ends