07 Apr 2021

The Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Mr Tumiso Rakgare, has told Parliament that he is aware that there is a functional youth centre in Ghanzi.

He explained that during his visit to the centre in October last year, he found that it was fully equipped and had free Wi-Fi.

In addition, Mr Rakgare said there were two NGOs servicing the youth at the centre and these were Men and Boys for Gender Equality as well as Stepping Stones International.

However, the minister said he believed that the centre could be better utilised and it  was their plan to ensure that this happened.

The minister also said out of the 10 youth centres across the country, seven were operational while the other three were currently not operational since they were due for renovation should the ministry be able to secure the needed funds.

He said district youth committees had not been operational since the Botswana National Youth Council (BNYC) was restructured in 2015.

‘The ministry is currently working on resuscitating these district youth committees, which will assist with grassroots programming hence reaching out to young people across the country’ he said.

Furthermore, Mr Rakgare said the electoral guidelines were going through the approval process, noting that in the absence of the structure, Botswana National Youth Council and the district offices were working together to channel youth programmes to all young people across the country.

He said a general assembly was held on  March 28, 2014, just before the council was restructured.

He further clarified that the BNYC was established as an advocacy body that advised government on youth matters, as well as to coordinate and promote youth empowerment activities in the country.

He was answering a question from Ghanzi North MP, Mr John Thiithe, who wanted to know why BNYC was established including whether he was aware that there was a youth centre in Ghanzi that was  unutilised

Mr Thiithe also wanted to know how many youth centres were operational and which of the 51 district youth councils and other BNYC structures were used to assist in the channeling of youth programmes to ordinary young people. ENDS