06 Jul 2020

Vice President Mr Slumber Tsogwane has implored Batswana to resuscitate the spirit of agriculture and return to farming.

Addressing North East District leadership in Masunga, Mr Tsogwane said the COVID-19 outbreak had proven that the economy of Botswana could not depend on diamonds only, owing to the fact that the sale of diamonds had declined due to the pandemic.

The Vice President stated that Batswana used to be staunch farmers as they produced food for household consumption while others produced in abundance to sell.

He indicated that such a spirit of reliance boosted the country’s GDP in that farmers would produce food and stock feed without having to import.

Mr Tsogwane said Botswana had vast land that was underutilised, hence the need for citizens to approach CEDA and LEA with business proposals so that they could get funding for agriculture.

He encouraged young people to utilise their parent’s idling farms, noting that ever since COVID-19 outbreak, Botswana could not completely shut down borders because goods and food commodities were imported from neighbouring countries.

He said government introduced compulsory testing for truck drivers at border posts as a way to contain and manage the spread of the virus.

Mr Tsogwane stated that due to the pandemic, the economy needed a stimulus plan, which required funds, hence some projects and infrastructure development would be suspended in order to cushion the economy.

The Vice President emphasised that government officials should consult those who were employed as COVID-19 scorpions to rectify the error made when they initially got employed on B2 and B3 scales.

He noted that scorpions had been in existence even before the pandemic, as an extension of Ipelegeng programme, hence they should continue to maintain their usual conditions of service and salary scale.

Delivering the district report on COVID-19, the district commissioner Mr Loeto Porati said illegal immigrants posed the biggest challenge for the district.

He indicated that during the lockdown period, law enforcement officers arrested illegal immigrants who entered the country through ungazetted points in frontier villages.

Mr Porati stated that smuggling of alcohol and tobacco were also high during the lockdown, with new cases registered every week.

He appreciated that water supply in the Tati East constituency had improved ever since the advent of the pandemic, as Water Utilities Corporation decided to bowse  water in villages that had been experiencing acute water shortage.

He further stated that the water crisis in the district would soon be a thing of the past due to the North East District/Tutume Sub- district water scheme project that commenced in March.

He indicated that the district still owed suppliers and service providers, who assisted in  COVID-19 quarantines.

Mr Porati said the district was working on securing a waiting bay for truck drivers entering through the Ramokgwebana border.

He said a total of 11 400 people benefited from the food basket distribution at a cost of P11.8 million, adding that the process was completed successfully.

In his remarks, Tati West legislator, Mr Simon Moabi thanked those who extended a helping hand to the needy during the pandemic.

He applauded the district task team for successfully executing its mandate to ensure COVID-19 was contained and all regulations were adhered to.

Mr Moabi thanked the Vice President for his visit to the district, noting that consultation was key to good governance.

For his part, Kgosi Maruje III said it was apt that Batswana should thank God for the protection; considering the fact that some nations were battling with the virus and had lost great numbers of their citizens.

Kgosi Maruje III indicated that Batswana, being a well behaved nation, complied with the lockdown regulations, which he said helped government to execute strategies well to manage the virus.

He commended the district task team and all village teams for their efforts in managing residents and controlling movements during the lockdown. Ends