03 Nov 2020

Standing committee on government assurances has commended permanent secretary in the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Mr Kago Ramokate for providing a comprehensive report.

Committee member, also MP for Serowe South, Mr Leepetswe Lesedi said Ramokate did well in answering questions.

He however cautioned him to ensure that the ministry should not take time to develop a tender document for Ghanzi Stadium.

Mr Ramokate appeared before the committee on Monday, and he informed it that the strategy on Youth Charter building for positive development 2019-2023 was in place and was currently implemented through Botswana National Youth Council (BNYC).

He said the strategy guides character building initiates and empowers youth with life skills, which were core for positive development.

“Generally the strategy employs a focused group participation methodology for youth with similar challenges such as youth in alcohol and substance abuse, unsafe sex, teenage pregnancy, school drop outs, crime and delinquency, depression and self-harming behaviours,” he said.

He also said the strategy leverages on youth serving organisations for implementation, adding that in 2019 a total of 14 youth-serving organisations were funded to reach out to the youth throughout the country.

In 2019-20, he said a total of 5 850 youth were reached while in 2020-21 a total of 1 177 young people had been reached and implementation was ongoing.

Ramokate was giving an update on a question that was asked by former Gaborone North MP Haskins Nkaigwa in 2015, which requested the Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture to update the meeting  on programmes in place to address drug abuse among young people.

However, MP for Kgalagadi South, Mr Sam Brooks said the question was asked in Parliament in 2015 but the strategy was a 2019-2023 document, questioning why it took the Ministry four years to come up with the strategy.

Mr Ramokate said the strategy was delayed by the consultation exercise, adding that they were also dealing with issues of BNYC  to ensure it functioned in the right direction.

Updating the committee on a question by former MP, Mr Noah Salakae in 2019, tasking the ministry to state in percentages,  progress of Ghanzi mini stadium, cost implications, causes for delay, he said the stadium was a partnership project of Ghanzi District Council and the ministry through Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC).

He said the project remained at 40 per cent as it was reported in March 2019, adding that the work done was part of the perimeter wall for the stadium.

Ramokate said the contractor  wrote to Ghanzi District Council indicating that, they could not continue with the project, and the two parties terminated the contact by mutual agreement after valuation of work done and settlement of all outstanding invoices.

“This therefore affected the extended completion date of April 22, 2019, the Ghanzi District Council has initiated the procurement process that will result in the appointment of contractors by the end of the year to complete the perimeter wall,” he said.

He said the architectural drawings had been completed, which included site plans and the designs for the buildings.

He said the council was also developing tender documents for construction of the buildings, adding that the component would be funded by the ministry and BNOC. ENDS