01 Dec 2020

A telecommunications tower inside Grootlagte Community Farm has been allocated to Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) by the Ghanzi District Council to deploy communication infrastructure under the Nteletsa II project.

This was said by Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Ms Peggy Serame when answering a question on behalf of Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Thulagano Segokgo. Ms Serame said the tower was erected in January 2012 after BTC was awarded the land by Ghanzi District Council to deliver three key communication services namely; voice, data/internet connectivity and Kitsong centres.

Furthermore, she explained that Kitsong centres were designed to be a one-stop-shop centre for accessing a suite of ICT services comprising among others, internet connection, airtime purchase, fax services, phone charges and payphone services. The minister said the project was commissioned to design, supply, install, operate and maintain telecommunications and associated infrastructure in 197 villages.

She also noted that the tower belonged to BTC, and that Ghanzi District Council and BTC entered into a lease agreement for the piece of land where the tower was located on January 28, 2012.

Ms Serame also clarified that Ghanzi District Council was the beneficiary of the rentals, but was not able to account as to what the council used the monthly rental for.

Ghanzi North MP, Mr John Thiite wanted to know when the BTC tower was erected, who it belonged to, how much was being paid as rentals, the rentals beneficiary and what the money for rentals was used for. ends