02 May 2016

Beneficiaries of government programmes such as poverty eradication, Youth Development Fund (YDF) and Livestock Management and Infrastructure Development (LIMID) have decried lack of monitoring and support from officers.

They revealed this during the Presidential Inspectorate Task Team (PITT)’s two-day visit to the Nata/Gweta constituency.

In Nata, the beneficiaries noted that although many of their projects were progressing well, the officers had never come to check on them.

They said it was a challenge particularly where there were challenges, which needed the officers input or guidance and they did not know which route to follow to get help.

One of the beneficiaries under poverty eradication programme, Mr Kemoitshoketse Bame, who is doing laundry services, raised concern that he last saw an officer when he was assessed and since then, he had never seen anyone even just on a courtesy call.

He pointed out  that one of the challenges they faced was deliveries which were incomplete because suppliers of equipment for their packages directly came to them to deliver the goods.

In his case, he said when he received the laundry machines, there was no generator and fuel since he did not have electricity and the machines were different from those he was trained to use.

He said when he requested assistance , he was sent from pillar to post, resulting in him being stuck with the whole machinery in his house but not operating.

In Dukwi, Mr Raymond Ndlovu praised the government for having given him a life changing opportunity.

Mr Ndlovu was given 13 goats under LIMID and his livestock multiplied to 32 goats and last year he managed to sell four of them and bought sheep as a way of diversifying his farming.

He called on other beneficiaries to show dedication and eagerness to succeed rather than always complaining that they were not being helped to progress.

For his part, the chairperson of PITT and former Vice President Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe said government’s main objective with such programmes was to improve the livelihoods of Batswana across the country.

He said it was also upon Batswana as well to be determined to welcome the initiatives so that they became part of the successful stories of these programmes. ENDS