28 Aug 2018

Francistown councillors have been urged to come up with initiatives to accelerate private sector investment aimed at creating jobs, generate income and at the same time improving revenue collection.

 The city’s mayor Ms Sylvia Muzila said Francistown faced an uphill battle of unemployment in the face of the closure of major economic activities such as Tati Nickel Mining Company and the local Botswana Meat Commission abattoir.

Addressing a full council meeting on August 27, Ms Muzila also implored political leaders, the private sector, civil society to rally behind President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s roadmap.

She explained that the roadmap included job creation, removing impediments inhibiting business, good governance, professionalism, apolitical and facilitative civil service maintaining high standards of moral integrity and decentralisation of decision making.

“In this respect, the roadmap cannot become a reality unless we develop the best action steps towards its achievement. A striking feature of His Excellency the President’s roadmap is to create more jobs especially for the young people who constitute the majority of our population,” she said.

Regarding the 2019/20 budget review, she explained that  government continued to focus on service delivery, maintenance of existing infrastructure and completion of projects.

The parent ministry, Ms Muzila said, encouraged council staff to be innovative so as to contribute to  prudent financial management and the identification of new sources of revenue.

Regarding land reservation, the mayor said four industrial plots had been set aside for Local Economic Development pilot projects and small and medium-sized operators.

She said recognition and development of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) were essential for the realisation of the council’s Vision 2022 and the national Vision 2036 pillars of  sustainable economic development and human and social development.

Ms Muzila also appealed to those who procured goods and services to establish a procurement culture of excellence and diligence so as to foster public sector efficiency and establish citizens’ trust.

The mayor observed that there were complaints about the public service sector’s failure to deliver services to the people in a polite, respectful and friendly manner.

She, therefore, appealed to the civil service both central and council staff to serve with a smile, be friendly at all times and be accessible to customers.

Ms Muzila also briefed councillors on the closure of the Francistown Botswana Meat Commission abbatoir.

She revealed that she led a delegation to see the President on the issue and that he had promised to respond in due course.ENDS