16 Mar 2017

Members of Parliament have urged the Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security to take advantage of renewable energy in providing remote settlements with electricity.

Debating the ministry’s budget proposals for 2017/18 financial year, MPs said villages in their respective constituencies which are not connected to the national grid should be provided with solar power, which is abundant in the country.

MP Slumber Tsogwane of Boteti West said villages in his constituency such as Xere and Kedia and others not connected to the national grid could be provided with solar power.

He further said solar energy must be subsidised not just for households but also for farmers to enhance food production.

MP Tsogwane called on the government to invest in solar energy saying it was a cheap resource, and while the inputs were expensive, there were long term benefits.

He also said the power network in Rakops and Mopipi should be expanded since they have grown.

MP for Gaborone North, Mr Haskins Nkaigwa said while Botswana has been blessed with abundant natural resources, they have not benefited Batswana.

He said the government has since independence failed to take advantage of abundant free sunlight but was only implementing the idea 50 years after independence.

MP Nkaigwa said heads have to roll since the government has invested P1 billion in BCL only for it to be placed in provisional liquidation after six months.

He further said he wondered why the government sells the BCL mine after saying it was not sustainable saying this should have happened while it was operational.

MP Nkaigwa called upon the minister to ensure that the Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority becomes effective but however said he was worried that when parastatals restructure, foreigners are engaged yet there were qualified Batswana who have necessary expertise.

He further said he does not believe Botswana has been able to derive maximum benefits from its partnership with De Beers saying with Anglo American owning 85 per cent stake in the diamond mining company, they called the shots and regulated the prices.

Specially Elected MP Mephato Reatile said he will never support the minister in his endeavour of disposing Morupule B Plant to China National Electric and Engineering Company (CNEEC).

He said the same company was tasked with building the P11 billion 600 MW coal fired power station but failed to deliver the project and therefore does not understand why it should be sold to them.

MP Reatile said it would not be good for government to place all power generation activities in the hands of the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) saying the government should hold on Morupule B in case the private companies fail.

He further said he was worried each year parliament approves funding for parastatals but they are not generating income.

MP Reatile said this was not sustainable and therefore they should ensure they add value to the economy.

Molepolole North MP Mohammed Khan said the government takes long to implement its policies saying the coal beneficiation report has been in the shelves for 12 years.

He said the tendency of not acting on time has caught up with Botswana as synthetic diamonds were now available in the market.

MP Khan said the Kweneng area was rich in lime adding the by-products can also be used to make other products which would benefit the economy.

He however said he was worried by the power outages saying this happens when there was either a slight storm or lightning.

Selebi Phikwe West MP Dithapelo Keorapetse said he was surprised the government was adamant that there was no business in BCL Mine yet they have now turned around and negotiating with possible buyers.

He said the government said the copper was of low grade and further, that the mineral deposits were low to mine profitably.

MP Keorapetse said the former employees were left in the dark, only paid a one month’s salary adding they should have been given retrenchment packages.

He said the former BCL employees have literally been thrown into poverty as even their pension was not sufficient to sustain them.

MP Joseph Molefe of Mahalapye West said he was happy with the village electrification programme as Tewane has been connected to the national grid.

He however said other villages should also be connected.

MP Molefe said people who are far from the transformers should not be made to pay excess fees, but also connect at a standard price of P5 000.

For his part, Mochudi West MP Gilbert Mangole has said his constituency and the whole Kgatleng in general had experienced constant blackouts as if the area was still under load shedding.

He said if it was the case that the infrastructure was old, it has to be replaced. ENDS