05 Apr 2016

The Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs does not have any plan to introduce an unemployment allowance or subsidy due to the possible unsustainable high financial implications which the initiative can have on the economy.

Labour and Home Affairs minister, Mr Edwin Batshu said when responding to a question in Parliament from Gaborone North MP, Mr Haskins Nkaigwa.However, Mr Batshu said government, as well as the private sector, continued to absorb some of the unemployed Batswana, where opportunities arose.

In addition, the minister said government also offered various programmes geared towards assisting the youth and Batswana at large to create employment. These, he said included; Youth Development Fund, LIMID, Women Economic Empowerment, and Poverty Eradication.

Further, Mr Batshu said there were agencies that were supported by government to facilitate the creation of employment, such as; Citizen Economic Development Agency, Local Enterprise Agency and Botswana Development Corporation. Mr Nkaigwa had asked the minister if there were any plans to introduce an unemployment allowance or subsidy in consideration of the high rates of unemployment in the country, mostly among the youth. Ends