05 Jul 2018

Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) owns a residential house in Phakalane which is to be occupied by the chief executive officer (CEO), Parliament has been told.

Assistant Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Moiseraele Goya told Parliament on July 4 that the property was acquired in October 2010 at a total cost of P4.8million and was subsequently refurbished in January 2016 at a cost of P345 390.

He said the residential house had been vacant pending the appointment of a substantive CEO for the organisation.

Mr Goya said the process of identifying a substantive CEO was ongoing and it was expected to be completed within a short time.

Notwithstanding that, he said BITC board resolved in May 2018 to lease the house on a short period, while awaiting the appointment of the substantive CEO.

Mr Goya was responding to Selebi Phikwe West MP, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse, who had asked the minister whether BITC owned a residential property housing its CEO or any other executive manager.

He had asked the minister to state the location of the house, the date of acquisition of the property and the amount used to procure and refurbish it.

Mr Keorapetse had also asked about the length of time the property had been unoccupied since the termination of the tenant’s lease and whether this was prudent management of resources and the reasons why the house could not be rented out or used pending the appointment of the substantive CEO at BITC. ENDS