14 Oct 2020

Boteti West village development council has been advised to assume responsibility and accountability in project execution.

The advice was given by Vice President Slumber Tsogwane during a meeting with the council  in Mopipi. 

He said mapping of clear project execution plans  as well as vision and objectives would lead to positive results.

Mr Tsogwane told the council, comprising Orapa, Mokobaxane, Kedia and Mopipi villages, that  all resources should be accounted for.

“There is need to account to the community, trusts are not owned by anyone, they are not private property as they report to the community,” he said adding that trust committees which failed to deliver should be dissolved.

Mr Tsogwane also stressed the need for regular general meetings as well as transparency in the appointment of committee members.

The vice president also said it was essential for community members to work in unison.

He said it was crucial that community members were kept abreast of all trust dealings.

Mr Tsogwane encouraged the council to devise methodologies  to ensure communities benefitted from trusts.

He further advised them to lease out or outsource land in cases where they lacked funds for undertaking projects.

 In addition, he said there should be a plan indicating whether the land was for community or individual use.

The vice president proposed that trusts operate under the Rural Development Council which he said would allow them to function in a more enhanced manner.

He said institutions such as Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources should partner with trusts to assist in training personnel.

Mr Tsogwane further urged Batswana to promote local tourism, saying the likes of Makgadikgadi, deemed the cradle of mankind, were wonders of nature that needed the support of citizens. 

Commenting, the District Officer Development Mr Goaletsa Keitumetse revealed that UNDP was working with Birdlife Botswana in Boteti to capacitate trusts.

Mr Keitumetse said  Makgadikgadi Development Plan section A had been awarded.BOPA