30 Mar 2017

Okavango Sub district senior assistant council secretary, Mr Masaoko Kataroh has revealed that P1 millon has been secured for the establishment of the Shakawe service centre as a way of bringing services closer to the communities.
He said when responding to comments from some councillors who wanted to know the amount of funding for the project. He noted that the money was secured from the savings after budget review.
Councillors were informed that although the funds were minimal, the money would be used to procure porta cabins and that companies had already been short listed and procurement would be done before end of the financial year.
The councillors wanted to know when the project would kick start since it had been long overdue.
They were informed that the implementation and decision making would be done at the sub district level.
Earlier on, councillor Ngatumbwe Kazombungo of Nokaneng/Habu questioned who took the decision to buy porta cabins as that had not passed through Okavango sub council.
However, councillors appreciated efforts made by the council leadership to establish the service centre, noting that it would reduce distance travelled by some residents who came as far as Gudigwa and Seronga to access services at Gumare.
They said residents waited patiently and it was pleasing and promising that finally the service centre was now on cards.
Shakawe service centre has been on hold as it was reported that procurement procedures were not followed initially when the project started. The issue resulted in Okavango councillors boycotting full council meeting last year and the council leadership from Maun had to travel to Gumare to address the issue as they insisted that the project should go ahead.
It was revealed that the sub council wanted to carry out the project with recurrent budget, but it seemed the leadership was against the decision as they indicated that recommendations and guidance from specialists indicated that the project could not be carried out by recurrent budget.
It was reported that it was not possible for the project to be carried out since the sub council had not followed correct financial instructions to award the tender and use the funds which were to be returned.  The leadership was not even aware that already the tender had been awarded.
Since the council secured fund for Shakawe Service Centre, councillor Maitiro Segosebe of Sehithwa/Kareng wanted to know when the Sehithwa service centre would be established.
But he was informed that there was no funding for the projects currently . ENDS