13 Jul 2020

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development will table before the next session of Parliament a proposed economic recovery plan.

Addressing COVID-19 task force team, dikgosi, social workers, councillors and the Village Development Committee in Sefhare recently, Vice President Slumber Tsogwane said the proposal was necessitated by the negative impact the pandemic has had on the national development budget.

He said funds budgeted for projects had to be diverted to financing the fight against the deadly disease.

Meanwhile the vice president has stressed the importance of taking COVID-19 seriously because Botswana lacked the capacity to handle a pandemic.

He appealed to Batswana to minimise movement to avoid spreading  of the disease.

In addition, he said they should adhere to COVID-19 protocols at all times.

Mr Tsogwane said government had focused on preventing the spread of the virus.

He pointed out that the COVID-19 cases recorded in Botswana were imported.

He explained that rapid testing  was being conducted at some border gates where the turnaround time for results was at least 24 hours.

The objective, he said was to reduce congestion at border gates.

He also mentioned that laboratories had been set up in Palapye, Francistown and Gaborone.

On another issue, Mr Tsogwane called on Batswana to be innovative and utilise technology to empower themselves.

Saying in the fourth industrial revolution technology played a critical role in realising sustainable development goals and food security, he said Batswana should embrace it to produce food and other quality products.

Botswana had to strive for self-sufficiency in food production in order to reduce  and dependence on other countries. ENDS