19 Mar 2018

Ministry of Youth, Sport and Cultural Development (MYSC) has budgeted P50 million for construction of 10 community sport fields across the country in the 2018/19 financial year.

This was revealed by MYSC minister Mr Thapelo Olopeng when presenting the ministry’s budget proposal for the 2018/19 financial year on Thursday.

The budget, amounting to P1.1 billion  comprised P1 003 699 520 in recurrent estimates and P119 500 000 in development expenditure.

Mr Olopeng said the 10 community sports fields would be funded under his ministry’s development expenditure and would be constructed in the southern, northern, eastern and western parts of the country.

“My ministry will during the coming financial year construct community sport fields in 10 constituencies to improve access to facilities in rural areas,” said the minister.

He further said P57.9 million  from the development budget had been allocated for construction of a roof on the VIP stand at the Francistown Sports Complex.

The minister added that the remaining funds under the development budget would be used for the development of MYSC IT Infrastructure, the ministry’s information systems consultancy, computerization of records management and the development of cultural infrastructure and programmes.

Mr Olopeng further explained that P637.7 million from the recurrent budget had been allocated to the ministry headquarters, with P50 million of that amount set to cater for the newly introduced NOW youth television channel.
“P8 million worth of content has been procured from local producers for this channel. This will grow the film and television sector and create opportunities for employment,” he said.

He said the Department of National Service and Internship will receive P399.6 million of the recurrent budget while the Botswana National Archives and Records Services had been allocated P26.5 million.

The minister said as young people still faced challenges of unemployment, poverty, drugs and substance abuse and HIV/AIDS among others, the ministry offered them opportunities for empowerment, engagement and development through various programmes aimed at entrepreneurship development, youth advocacy, behavioral change, and job readiness skills for youth.

Under entrepreneurship development, he said the Youth Development Fund (YDF) in the current financial year spent P92 million in funding a total of 889 businesses out of 1 796 applications by February 2018. He said the funded businesses created a total of 1 653 employment opportunities.

“Disbursement of funds continues to be undertaken and it is expected that the entire budget allocation of P120 million will be spent by the end of the current financial year,” said the minister.

Mr Olopeng said the ministry held a Youth Business Expo every year to improve market access for funded and other youth businesses.

He further said the introduction of affirmative action in favour of youth entrepreneurs resulted in 698 youth companies being awarded government tenders to the value of P115 .3 million.

He added that government would install computer hardware and Wi-Fi in 10 youth cenres around the country this financial year to provide opportunities for youth recreation.

Regarding job training and attachments, Mr Olopeng said 3 968 youth enrolled in the National Internship Programme while 523 youth interns were absorbed into employment between April 2017 and January 2018. He further said enrollment into the Botswana National Service Programme stood at 13 001 by January 2018. Ends