02 Feb 2017

Government owes farmers in the Chobe District money amounting to over P872 000 for damaged property by wild animals as of December 2016.

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso, told Ntlo Ya Dikgosi on Wednesday that the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism was aware that Chobe farmers had not been paid for damaged property  since 2015.

She said it was expected that compensation disbursement would commence in the 2017/18 financial year when funds are available.

Ms Tshireletso was responding to a question asked by specially elected Kgosi Moffat Sinvula who had asked if the ministry was aware that some farmers in Chobe District had not been compensated for livestock predation and destruction of fences on homesteads since 2015. 

Kgosi Sinvula had also asked the minister to state the outstanding amount and wanted to know when farmers would be compensated.

Meanwhile, Ms Tshireletso also informed dikgosi that her ministry was finalising the base infrastructure at Balete Tribal Administration offices through Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited (BTCL).

She said the exercise was expected to be completed by the end of March 2017 and that internet services will also be availed in April 2017.

She was answering Kgosi Mosadi of Balete who had asked when the Bamalete Tribal Administration would be connected with internet and the GABS system that will improve service delivery.  BOPA