11 Feb 2020

Implementation of e-gov or online services and Maitlamo Policy is the route towards facilitation of transitioning to the knowledge-based economy.

The Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Thulagano Segokgo,  said this during the ministry’s retreat in Selebi Phikwe on Monday.

 He stated that knowledge-based economy was the route to employment creation and increased global competitiveness.

“Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is the future. And implementing Maitlamo policy and online services is the single game-changer we must rally on,” he said.

He said it was for this reason that government saw it fit to approve a National Broadband Strategy (NBS) and to complement it with the policy of infrastructure sharing within the government and the private sector.

“These are deliberate policy interventions, which must be implemented cost-effectively without delay. I would like each one of us as leaders to understand that yours is to facilitate the ease of doing business by implementing and being there for other ministries, the private sector and individual citizens who depend on us,” he said.

Furthermore, Mr Segokgo said the private sector should be engaged, adding that they need to meet expectations of those whom they all committed to serving with diligence.

He said employees in his ministry should engage the private sector with understanding that the private sector anywhere in the world drives the economy.

“Government does not pay the taxes which facilitate the developments we all need, the private sector does,” he said.

For her part, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Ms Alicia Mokone, emphasised on good service delivery, adding that the ministry should come up with new ways to improve service delivery.

She said her ministry was still grappling with the problem of long queues, adding that there was a need to address this problem as a collective and come up with better ways of serving customers.

She also called for delivery of projects on time, on budget and on quality, and also cautioned employees against spending money for the sake of spending.

She said if there was no need to spend, the money should remain in the government coffers rather than being wasted. Ends