15 Oct 2017

Member of Parliament for Chobe, Mr Machana Shamukuni has encouraged Pandamatenga and Chobe youth to up their game in opportunities granted by private companies operating in their region.

Mr Shamukuni said this in response to concerns raised by some Padamatenga youth about lack of jobs in companies operating in their district. The Chobe legislator however said some youth brought a bad reputation to their image and disadvantaged the private companies since they deserted job contracts prematurely.

The behaviour, he said disadvantaged contractors who have a responsibility to complete projects on schedule. Mr Shamukuni cited the Kazungula Bridge project, which he said had engaged some Chobe locals in large numbers and about 90 of them disappeared at the end of the first month.

He therefore said such behaviour tarnished the image of locals as contractors lost trust in them.

Mr Shamukuni also said some youth who applied for various tenders failed to submit complete information which lacked a seriousness factor on their part.

He said the Chobe leadership would keep on engaging with private entities to emphasise the need to employ locals to empower them.

The MP said such dialogue had borne fruits in the past.

Some youth had complained that many successful private companies in Pandamatenga and Chobe were failing to engage youth who ended up flocking to the Ipelegeng programme since such companies brought their own labourers from elsewhere. Mr Shamukuni however encouraged young people to change their mindset and take the opportunities granted seriously.

The MP was visiting his constituents to share with them issues from the past Parliament session such as bills and policy amendments as well as to get views from them. Pandamatenga VDC chairperson, Mr Ontiretse Juramo raised concerns that the Pandamatenga VDC was owed a lot of money by individuals and some organisations in the village.

Mr Juramo said new VDC committee had managed to collect about P16 000 from some debtors.

He however noted that the VDC nonetheless managed to do some developments such as connection of water at the graveyards and also raised a concern that some people were misusing the water.

Mr Juramo also appreciated that a cultural guest house project would be built for the community as a donation and therefore the VDC was waiting for the house plan approval from Chobe District Council. ENDS