28 Apr 2019

 Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development Mr Tshekedi Khama has urged Mmashoro residents to help government in efforts to create employment for fellow Batswana.

Speaking during a kgotla meeting at Mmashoro recently, Mr Khama said government could not generate sufficient employment for all Batswana, hence called on Mmashoro residents to take to businesses as a collective or as individuals.

Mr Khama, who is also the MP for Serowe West, said with the right attitude the residents of Mmashoro could engage in projects geared towards the development of their village, which simultaneously created employment.

As a solution to unemployment in the village, Mr Khama suggested that villagers should rethink their constituency development projects with a view to creating sustainable jobs. 

He opined that the government could be undertaking projects that  may not be of much benefit to the people, hence a new approach was necessary. 

To this, Mr Khama suggested that he holds a kgotla meeting with the villagers on a Saturday to allow for a longer time of discussion on the projects that could help boost the village economy while generating employment for the villagers. 

The minister said the orchard that was earmarked at the village was one of the projects that needed to be fast-tracked so that beneficiaries could be able to supply fruits to generate income. 

When responding to some concerns enumerated in the village development committee report to him, Mr Khama promised to suggest to the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Development an option of providing porta cabins while awaiting construction of houses. 

He argued that the move would address the dire need of accommodation experienced across the public sector. 

In Mmashoro, as per the VDC report, 23 teachers at a primary school shared only seven housing units. 

For their part, residents expressed concerns over cross-cutting issues that needed attention. 

While some raised issues over the declining level of education in the village schools, some expressed gratitude at operation KgomoKhumo, which they found beneficial to farmers.

Ms Tsaone Nametso expressed a concern at graduates’ unemployment and even faulted private schools for prioritising their recruitment towards foreigners. 

She argued that foreign teachers were willing to accept lower wages, hence an inclination towards them. 

She also wanted government programmes standardised across all localities irrespective of development status. 

Realeboga Pane called for reception classes at their primary school for children to be taught by professionals. ENDS