10 Feb 2021

Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, Mr Lefoko Moagi says citizen economic empowerment initiatives should be within reach of Batswana entrepreneurs.

Debating the budget speech on Tuesday, Mr Moagi, who is also MP for Ramotswa, said while crafted with good intentions, citizen economic empowerment policies at times had cumbersome specifications.

He cited the example of the Citizen Entrepreneural Development Agency (CEDA) which introduced improved guidelines in 2020, but still had the challenge of some entrepreneurs expressing concern that they faced complicated specifications in the forms when they applied for loans. Mr Moagi also said companies that employed a sizable number of Batswana should be supported. 

He said for large scale projects, it made no sense to procure pipes from outside the country if there were local companies that produced such products

Moreover, Mr Moagi said equipment should be improved at district hospitals to cater for medical functions such as dialysis treatment and ultrasound scans and for more professional health workers and caregivers to be employed.In order to assist the growth of the country’s creative industry, Mr Moagi said Botswana Television (BTV) should be better utilised for independent local film and television producers to be engaged for content production and to be offered airplay.

Noting that electricity supply had been intermittent, Mr Moagi said his ministry was working on improving the situation through the current electrical network and the use of solar power.

While appreciating the completion of the new Gaborone-Boatle dual carriageway road, Mr Moagi said the Boatle-Ramotswa road was not in a good condition and needed to be improved. ends