01 Sep 2021

The drive to become a cleaner and less wasteful society requires Batswana to take more responsibility in their daily lives, says Minister of Environment, Natural Resource Conservation and Tourism Ms Philda Kereng.

Briefing the nation yesterday on the national clean up campaign which commenced Monday, she encouraged Batswana to get involved and support efforts towards a clean environment and a healthy Botswana.

She pointed out that huge amounts of plastics, disposable nappies, used face masks, old building material as well as waste generated by commerce and industry entered the environment every day, making it one of the most widespread pollution problems facing the nation.

An increase in the volumes of waste disposed meant an environmental and health crisis, she warned.

Ms Kereng stated that lack of public hygiene was costly to the nation.

Citing the tourism industry, she said tourists would not want to visit a dirty country while in the case of the agricultural sector, livestock ended up eating hazardous litter.

Even children got affected as repeated bouts of bacteria and parasitical infections were likely, she said.

Ms Kereng said the country could make great strides with dirt by transforming it into wealth. 

 Time had come, she said,  for everyone to learn to transform everything and use it for their wellbeing.

She informed her audience that cabinet had approved the Integrated Waste Management Policy aimed at promoting deriving value out of waste.

Treating waste as a valuable resource would not only lead to improved environmental aesthetics but would also have significant economic benefits through provision of waste based enterprise opportunities which would in turn improve community livelihoods.

Expressing similar sentiments, Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Thulagano Segokgo said cleaning up was an individual responsibility and stressed that all had a role in keeping the nation clean.

Minister Segokgo called on all stakeholders to take responsibility for minimising waste impacts in order to ensure environmental sustainability.

He urged people to keep roads clean by disposing of litter in dustbins provided at bus stops.

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Sethabelo Modukanele said his ministry‘s responsibilities included reducing, minimising and disposing waste in an environmentally acceptable manner.

Mr Modukanele said previously, Ipelegeng Programme workers were engaged to clean the environment and later the environmental scorpions “but the need to make Botswana clean has arisen for everyone”. 

He said the national clean up campaign was a long term event that would ensure a safe, healthy and a sustainable environment for everyone.

Mr Modukanele said the ministry would prioritise environmental education, awareness, training and communication as key means of improving environmental quality. ends