11 Sep 2017

Consultation on the P10 million constituency funding is meant to ensure that funds are disbursed fairly and utlised on intended projects as well as curb corrupt practices, Molepolole South MP Dr Tlamelo Mmatli has said.

Speaking at a kgotla meeting in Molepolole on Friday he said together with area Cllr, Kgosi and members of Village Development Committee they would continue to play an oversight role to ensure that intended beneficiaries enjoyed developments projects earmarked for their area.

The MP said the paving of internal roads was a welcome development which would  go a long way in improving mobility in the constituency which has been a challenge, and promised to ensure that the P10 million constituency funding was enjoyed equally across the constituency.

He said because the constituency funding was not enough to cover all wards development needs, programmes such as Ipelegeng should be utilized to help improve development needs in the constituency such as attending to unpaved internal roads.

The MP however concurred with residents that in some areas culverts or bridges were long over-due to avert situations whereby residents were always stranded on one side of the village during raining seasons, causing students to miss classes. He however said the P10 million is too little to cover everything.

Dr Mmatli also apprised constituents on amendment bills on land and neighboring acts which he said would bring  improvement such as on land value, reduce cost plots survey which he said would  be borne by government.

On LAPCAS he said though many plots in Molepolole have been registered many were still to respond to the registration exercise, and encouraged all to register so as to have plots computerized to curb illegal land sales as well as reduce instances where many lands fall into hands of foreigners.

He said under the new bill Motswana now qualifies to be allocated a plot by land authorities across Botswana, even those who own, bought or inherited plots, even couples each could  be allocated a plot unlike in the past where those who bought or married to a partner owning a plot were overlooked during allocations.

He also briefed them on national registration bill which now provide clemency on those who failed to register for Omang at required age, and as such implored the concerned to register for identification document so that they do not  miss out on government assistance and empowerment programmes.

He said in the past many failed acquire Omang because of fear of penalties of applying late even when they had valid reasons accounting for their late registration. He said many failed to register at 16 years because they were made to stay for many years at cattle posts by relatives or guardians. Ends