26 Feb 2017

Mayor of Francistown City, Ms Sylvia Muzila has implored councillors to prioritise investment opportunities and intensify employment creation.

Addressing a full council meeting recently, Ms Muzila said there was a need for the legislators to come up with new initiatives that would drive developments in the city.

“We have our vision 2022, which is already a driving force to reach our aspirations and there are a lot of opportunities out there that need to be unlocked to benefit our district in tremendous ways,” she said.

She said the city’s budgetary allocations showed a decline from P186 627 550 in the 2015/16 financial year to P183 987 390 in the 2016/17 financial year.

The mayor said although their expenditure showed that they did not spend the whole sum, they still had a challenge with revenue collection.

She emphasised the need to prioritise on revenue collection to augment the money from the ministry.

The major projects of the coming six-year plan period include the Aerodrome-Gerald link road planned to start by 2017/18, the new Francistown district hospital and a psychiatric department anticipated to start during 2019/20, Tatitown Customary Court Type II, the Francistown Sports Complex roof and the primary school backlog eradication.

However, Ms Muzila expressed disappointment over the slow uptake of the implementation of the city’s Vision 2022 resolutions.

She thus pleaded with implementing agencies to timeously implement decisions made by the council so that the community is served effectively and efficiently.

She further urged councillors to ensure that things got done from their relevant committees by following up issues that are of great interest to their communities.

Meanwhile, FCC elected Satellite South councillor, Mr Godisang Radisigo as the new deputy mayor, taking over from Mr Lechedzani Mudenga after nominated Councillor Andy Boatile moved a motion of no confidence since the incumbent had been absent for a long time from the office due to ill health. ENDS