18 May 2016

Minister of Lands and Housing, Mr Prince Maele has implored land boards chairpersons across the country to put more effort to the work they are currently doing for improved services.

Speaking at the 10^th Ministry of Lands and Housing leadership forum, Mr Maele said the ministry had given the land boards chairpersons all the powers, hence they should take responsibility of their land boards seriously.

The minister said he was concerned that some of the land boards did not treat the issue of waiting list or backlog of plots allocation with the seriousness it deserved.He said when the landboard was not performing or providing services as expected, it would be a clear reflection that the chairperson was not doing their job.

“As boards chairmen, you have the powers, so take responsibility of your landboards. Some of the landboards don’t even know what is happening when it comes to waiting lists, but going forwards I will drop some of the chairmen and promote some,” the minister warned.

Furthermore, Mr Maele said landboards should  find ways of helping Batswana and not ways of making life difficult for them.

He also said that the issue of waiting list should not be the job of clerks rather landboards chairpersons should take responsibility.

The minister was also concerned that some board meetings were not held monthly as he had instructed, something he said was a clear reflection of poor leadership by landboards chairpersons.

On a similar issue, the lands and housing minister stated that as from June this year, landboards would start allocating plots to Batswana in their respective individual positions regardless of their marital status.

The minister said all along, married couples, when the other spouse had a plot it was impossible for the other to acquire a plot, but this now would change and made such that at least individuals own a plot because it might happen that couples got divorced on the way.

Still on a related topic, Mr Maele said issues of illegal occupation of land or squatting had become at the top of the Ministry of Lands and Housing’ agenda, and suggested that they be reported quarterly by landboards.

He also talked of staff welfare, which he said he was not content with the manner in which it was treated, noting that staff and board members were not motivated.

Meanwhile, the minister said some of the ministry’s projects were outsourced and therefore encouraged the MLH leadership to make sure that these projects were implemented within stipulated period and budget. ENDS