17 Oct 2018

MODIKA Polytechnic director, Mr Oduetse Mphahudi says the church has the responsibility of driving the national socio-economic agenda with government.

Presenting a paper on the church agenda in contributing to the achievement of Vision 2036 and NDP11 at the newly elected Kanye Ministers Fraternal committee recently, Mr Mphahudi said beyond spiritual remedies, the church must come up with different socio-economic programmes and projects through which the partnership could be implemented.

Mr Mphahudi noted that President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi had made a plea to churches to join government in driving the national socio-economic agenda.

He said manpower and expertise within government for effective public service delivery was not enough, noting that there was limited government budget for countrywide outreach for service delivery within government.

Mr Mphahudi decried lack of commitment from citizens to implement government development programmes, adding that the churches could fill the void.

He said churches should initiate and people should manage the economy, adding that the church had divine influence and control for commitment of their membership in terms of programme uptake.

Mr Mphahudi also suggested that the church, together with the private sector, could partner and engage government for the much needed expertise and other resources for people development.

He said through the partnership, programmes utilisation, improved livelihoods, food and nutrition and  poverty eradication training programme could easily be tackled.

The other, he said, were entrepreneurship and investment training programmes, sustainable prosperity and character building training programmes, employability potential and global competitiveness. ENDS