26 May 2016

Francistown South Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Wynter Mmolotsi has told residents of Boikhutso ward that government has used P1.6 billion for Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) from the foreign reserves.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in the ward on Wednesday, Mr Mmolotsi said government decided to come up with ESP because the economy did not grow as expected. It was anticipated the country’s economy would grow at the rate of 4.2 per cent but only a one per cent growth was recorded.

Mr Mmolotsi said in January this year, the inflation rate was 2.7 per cent and it affected Batswana because the commodity prices rose.

Concerning ESP, he explained the government would through the programme build 700 Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) houses for people who do not qualify for the Self Help Housing Agency (SHHA) and Turn Key programmes. 

He said the construction of the 350 houses out of the 700 housing units had already started in Gaborone.

Mr Mmolotsi said tenants earning P3 000 monthly would be allowed to rent the houses and at the same time pay the installment for purchasing the houses.

The Ward Development Committee (WDC) chairperson, Mr Herbet Nkabiti said his committee was progressing well with its annual plan and had managed to extend the day care centre and was only waiting to paint it.

He further said a tenant for the centre had already been identified through advertising and the centre would start operating next term. Mr Nkabiti urged the residents to support the tenant by bringing their children to the centre.

Concerning, BOTS50 celebrations, Mr Nkabiti said his committee was continuing with raising funds for the activities and would soon launch the ward’s logo that would be printed on t-shirts and other merchandises.

Mr Nkabiti said his committee was planning to make the independence celebrations memorable and invited various artists in the ward to volunteer to entertain the residents on the day.

On other issues, Mr Nkabiti raised a concern about lack of employment among the youth adding that as a result, youth aged between 18-35 years enroll in Ipelegeng in large numbers and said 70 per cent of the Ipelegeng employees are youth.

Mr Nkabiti further raised a concern about lack of protective clothing for Ipelegeng employees, adding that although he appreciated that their employment was temporary their lives should be put first.

A Social and Community Development officer (S&CD), Mr Gerald Mahumba was also concerned that some poverty eradication beneficiaries took equipment for their projects and were nowhere to be found at addresses they provided.

He appealed to residents who have information on any of the beneficiaries who relocated with poverty eradication equipment to assist his office. ENDS

Mr Mahumba said failure to trace them would lead to his office reporting the cases to the police.