23 Feb 2021

Ghanzi North MP, Mr John Thiite says the COVID-19 pandemic has put a strain on the already constrained health services in his constituency.

Debating the 2021/22 budget proposals, MP Thiite said the Ghanzi District Health Management Team (DHMT) was faced with challenges amongst them acute shortage of transportation. He noted that only seven ambulances served the district while 13 were out of service.

He said Ghanzi Primary Hospital was experiencing shortage of medications and staff accommodation, and that the little they had had been diverted to the pandemic.

MP Thiite said the old Ghanzi Primary Hospital should be refurbished. He also called for the recruitment of additional doctors and the purchasing of ambulances.

On agriculture, he said it was time the country produced its own food, adding that it would lead to economic diversification.

He said his constituency had become a hub for potato production and that it produced 3 498 metric tonnes last year. However, he said infrastructure should be provided to offer easy access to the markets.

The MP also said arable farming was growing in his constituency and that farmers produced 61 tonnes of cereals last year.

However, he said they were not happy with prices offered by Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB).

He said tractor owners had called for the review of ISPAAD as fuel prices and costs of tractor parts had escalated.

MP Thiite was also concerned that prices of female cows had plummeted to P12 per kg due to a ban on movement across borders. He said it forced farmers to double their sales in order to realise profits.

The Ghanzi North MP also said the beef industry should be fully exploited by creating industries that would take advantage of beef by-products.

Meanwhile, he said he had not seen a provision for leather park or Milk Afrique in the finance minister’s speech.

He said his constituency was happy to house them since they had most of the inputs.

He also said they welcomed the liberation of the beef industry and the establishment of the Beef Industry Regulator, adding that they aspired to have their own abattoir in Ghanzi through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.ENDS