13 Apr 2021

Parliament on Monday adopted the Energy Policy that was presented by the Minister of Mineral Resources, Energy and Green Technology Mr Lefoko Moagi last week Thursday.

Supporting the minister, Ngami MP, Mr Caterpillar Hikuama said the policy promised to improve the livelihoods of Batswana especially his constituents who were not connected to the national grid.

He said the remote settlements would do well if provided with solar power, adding it was also imperative to use clean energy.

Molepolole North legislator, Mr Oabile Regoeng said the country failed to take advantage of its natural resources hence the electricity tariffs were high because of imports from South Africa.

He urged the minister to set up targets, saying this would ensure the policy was implemented and measurable.

MP Regoeng also said there were some villages such as Suping which were not connected to the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) grid and said it would be cheaper to use solar energy rather than buy a transformer.

He said Batswana should be encouraged to run the oil industry.

MP Thulagano Segokgo of Tlokweng said the country should have energy storage facilities if it was to accrue savings from the solar energy.

He said it was important to adopt environmental standards for coal power generation.

MP Segokgo further said he welcomed the decision to purchase fuel from different sources, saying lack of diversification nearly brought the economy on its knees when the country experienced fuel shortage last year.

MP for Okavango, Mr Kenny Kapinga raised concern over oil exploration activities in his constituency, saying the residents were never addressed although they faced uncertainty should the company discover oil deposits.

People there stand to lose their ploughing and grazing lands yet the minister or any government official had not addressed them over the matter, he said.

Responding to comments raised by parliamentarians, Minister Moagi said the policy addressed equity, economic development and environmental protection.

He said the policy was also aligned to others such as the Climate Change Policy and Agriculture Policy.

Responding to comments made by MP Kapinga, the minister said currently, the company Recon had been issued with a prospecting licence and would undertake an

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) once the drilling process commenced.

He however promised to meet with the residents at the end of the current Parliament session.. ENDS