23 Mar 2017

Councillors from Molepolole Administrative Authority (MAA)/Lentsweletau have modified initial submissions to constituency funding to include projects that they say represent the wish of their constituents.

Speaking during a special council meeting recently, councillors said the initial project memo did not capture the right priorities they submitted, where they mostly prioritised culverts and pavement of access roads, which are in bad state.

Councillors implored public servants to accede to their new priorities because their initial submissions were done when there were no guidelines on what was to be funded. Now since the guidelines provided flexibility in funding even projects that were not necessarily income-generating, they must be allowed to re-prioritise.

They said they were not given what was in the amended submissions, it would be defeating of the intention of the programme, which sought to give the people a chance to participate in national development programme agenda.

Other projects that featured in most wards included Day Care Centres in areas where there were no reception classes, agro-based projects such as cattle crushes and renovations of VDC houses, which they said had the potential to benefit many Batswana.

Some councillors said construction of LA2 houses, community halls, milling plants and brick-moulding facilities were not priorities in their areas.

MAA/Lentsweletau principal economist, Mr Badisa Mosarwa said 69 projects had been included in the Project Memo and cautioned councillors that when correcting their submissions, they must avoid instances where they would submit projects that would need more funds, leading to fewer projects funded, thus disadvantaging many people in the process.

On the equitable sharing of funds per council ward, he said the planning unit distributed developments in the constituency as per the need of each ward and also as per the priority submissions from the community.

Regarding the issue of labour to be used on constituency projects, MAA/Lentsweletau senior assistant council secretary, Mr Gofaone Kgabanyane said it would be determined by the type of the projects, noting that although Ipelegeng programme employees could be used for such projects, where the project would be given to a contractor, terms of the contract would be honoured.

He however said they were fully aware that they had the responsibility to ensure that such projects improved the quality of life of the beneficiaries and create employment for locals at the same time.

Mr Kgabanyane noted that the P10 million was not replacing funding of projects in the national development plans and other government programmes such as Ipelegeng.

He said even after submission of projects, analysis wound be done to determine the viability and as such some might fall off due to costs involved and this should not worry councillors and take the inaugural constituency funding as a precursor on how to better the programme next year.

Mr Kgabanyane implored them not to come up with proposals that might be in conflict with others. ENDS