06 Mar 2019

Challenges of human- wildlife conflicts and illegal occupation negatively impact land administration in the Chobe district.

Speaking at a Chobe Land Board retreat in Maun on Monday, Chobe Land Board secretary, Mr Johane Chenjekwa observed that the land boards in the northern parts of Botswana experienced similar challenges.

He said the Land Boards dealt with heightened human-wildlife conflicts and shortage of land.

Mr Chenjekwa therefore urged the Chobe Land Board officers to be dedicated in their work to produce best results in the midst of challenges.

Their task, he said, was to align their land planning with President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s road map.

He noted that the retreat was a chance for the Chobe Land Board staff to introspect and map a way forward in service delivery

North West District Council chairperson, Mr Duncan Enga noted that land managers were tasked with an asset that paved way for socio-economic development.

Mr Enga observed that as such the Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services had since re-structured to incorporate the water and sanitation aspect.

He said Botswana was yet to develop strategies to utilise grey water for both domestic and agriculture development.

He observed that the ministry of land management had a strategic plan aimed at addressing the challenges faced by the public as shortage of land necessary for development, rapid population growth, human-wildlife conflicts and challenges of water and sanitation.

Mr Enga said the 2017-2023 strategic plan focused on settlement planning, improving land management and administration and risk management of corruption.

He also encouraged the Chobe Land Board staff to utilise the retreat effectively to improve their organisation and ministry.

For his part, Chobe Land Board secretary, Mr Kealeboga Kemoreile said Botswana should consider building flats to address hortage of land.

Mr Kemoreile said Land Boards also faced challenges of poor revenue collection, which could assist in land servicing.

He noted that the Land Administration Procedures Capacity and Systems (LAPCAS) had also performed poorly,  therefore the ministry had extended its closing date to June 2019.

Mr Kemoreile said land boards were grappling with waiting lists for applications with about one million registered applications countrywide.

He therefore said the ministry had resorted to analysing waiting lists to find appropriate solution.

Mr Kemoreile said about 660 000 of the applicants in the waiting list were potential allotees. Ends