21 Nov 2017

President Lt. Gen Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama, has pleaded with Gender Affairs aspirants from East Hanahai in Ghanzi District, to remain patient and hold onto their business proposals, pending funding.

He said funding would effect in the next financial year.

President Khama made the comment following concerns by Kgosi Johannes Magwase in his welcome remarks that none of the applicants from his village were successful and wondered whether the applicants had failed to put up comprehensive business proposals.

Addressing residents of East Hanahai, during a kgotla meeting President Khama said most of Gender Affairs business  rejections were not based on their proficiency as many presumed but solely due to lack of funds.

He said the relevant ministry received influx of applications across the country and that strained the budget.

However, he  said government was still committed to improving the livelihoods of Batswana by improving household food security, empowering the poor through engagement in income generating activities, generating employment opportunities that would ultimately lead to the promotion of sustainable economic diversification and reduce destitution.

On the other hand, President Khama said the youth also experienced some short-comings, as they were not fully funded due to insufficient funds as well, adding that the top-upss would be done in 2018/19 financial year, to allow continuity of the programmes.

On other issues, he said 655 dikgosana who had been performing duties without pay, would be paid in the next financial year.

Furthermore, he condemned misuse of government vehicles and encouraged officers to take care of government fleet so that they had a long life span.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, Kgosi Magwase lauded the President for his visit to their village to get first-hand information on their welfare.

He said residents were keen to utilise government programmes meant to improve their livelihoods, noting that as village leadership they would continue to encourage residents to utilise those programmes.

In his report, Village Development Committee Chairperson, Mr Fredrick Tuahuku applauded government for its efforts to improve their lives through different programmes such as Ipelegeng, poverty eradication programmes and destitution houses.

He said Ipelegeng had 131 beneficiaries, 72 benefited through poverty eradication programme and also got six houses built through Self Help Housing Agency and also 15 destitute houses.

Mr Tuahuku said they were faced with shortage of accommodation for public officers, poor maintenance of government institutions, and shortage of drugs at the clinic as well as bad road terrains that hampered service delivery.

One of the residents, Mr Kebakile Toko, called for the review of Wildlife Conservation and National Parks Act to look at compensations for property destroyed by lions and other wild animals.

Mr Toko proposed that the P5 500 compensation made for a bull killed by a lion should be raised to match the market price.

On other issues, residents decried overstaying of public officers, poor roads and double allocation of plots by land board.

In his response, President Khama said something was being done about officers who had overstayed, but noted that lack of funds acted as an impediment to speed up the exercise.

He said from January 2017, Directorate of Public Service Management had been on the matter and the exercise would be done in phases until it is concluded.

President Khama further said added volume of traffic determined the construction of a tarred road, and that it came with high costs, as he said that 1 km road could cost about P6 million and that, translated to the total cost of about, P252 million to tar the 42km road from Ghanzi to East Hanahai.

For her part, Permanent Secretary from the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Ms Shenaaz El-Halabi, indicated that she was aware of unavailability of certain drugs in clinics, adding however that such had been procured and distributed to different hospitals.

On issues of maintenance of health facilities, she said the ministry had signed agreements with local companies within their reach in different localities to do maintenance of health facilities.

For his part Ghanzi Wildlife coordinator, Mr Goitseone Lebonetse pleaded with residents to bear with wildlife officers as shortage of funds and transport hampered them from attending to reports timeously.

Giving closing remarks, Ghanzi South MP, Mr Christiaan De Graaff, lauded President Khama for his visit to meet with constituents to get first-hand information regarding their welfare and giving prompt feedback on some burning issues.

He also lauded him for his flexible leadership whereby, he said the President, guided them in the right direction whenever they encountered hurdles in their ministerial portfolios, saying he was proud to have worked under President Khama.

Mr De Graaff also applauded the government for programmes in place such as special ISPAAD, and direct business between government and individuals especially on the vegetables and egg businesses, the agreement that he said had helped farmers to have access to market.

He mentioned that other available programmes had also impacted positively on the lives of his constituents.

Mr De Graaff said through special ISPAAD, in the last ploughing season, residents managed to get better yields and that they managed to provide for their families as well as to sell to Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board.

He encouraged residents to prepare for the new ploughing season.

The President left the residents in a cheerful mood after he donated 30 chairs, 10 Bibles, 50 blankets for the old age and destitute and two pairs of football kits and soccer balls. ENDS