25 Nov 2021

Batswana should embrace the transformation brought by the Reset Agenda, Good Hope/Mabule MP, Mr Eric Molale has said.

In his contribution to the State-of-the-Nation Address debate, Mr Molale said the success of the Reset Agenda was largely dependent on the support of Batswana and all stakeholders involved in the policy making process as well as policy implementers.

He said the Reset Agenda had the potential to elevate Botswana’s economic status to a high level once fully implemented and supported.

The transformation measure, he said, included growing the economy for job creation and social programmes to sustain livelihoods with the emphasis on improving the regulatory efficiency to support private sector growth and improve efficiency of government spending.

Mr Molale stated that the transformation agenda also aimed to create space for the private sector.

“There is need to see how best we transform our service delivery to ensure efficacy, which will in the long run translates to effective policy implementation and livelihoods uplifting,” he said.

In this regard, Minister Molale stated that there were ongoing structural reforms to the public sector to improve the implementation of government programmes, which he said entailed the rationalisation of the office of the President to make it more strategic than operational.

Key to the rationalisation of the office, Minister Molale said, was the appointment of the Chief of Staff adding that the appointment was constitutional in accordance with the law.

Mr Molale, who is also Goodhope/Mabule MP applauded government for adopting a new arable agricultural programme, which would replace the Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture (ISPAAD).

He said he was hopeful that the new programme which was envisaged to increase agricultural productivity, and improve food security in the country would bring back into use the Ramatlhabama , Banyana and Dairy farms through leasing those farms to youth of his constituency.

Mr Molale, further highlighted the need to transform the Goodhope/Mabule in to an agricultural hub citing the potential of Metlojane and Pitsane farms to be turned into commercialised agricultural centres due to their fertile soils and the infrastructure already in place.

He also called for the establishment of a reputable market for small scale entrepreneurs, adding that SMMES needed to be supported from start up to marketing of their produces.

“To achieve the level of growth needed to move this country from the current middle-income trap, there is need for continued investment in appropriate infrastructure which is critical in enhancing productivity and economic growth,” he said.

Contributing to the debate, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Ms Peggy Serame said that government was committed to supporting the establishment of the indigenous banking sector.

She highlighted that government was keen to create conduce banking environment that would cater for the indigenes to establish banks, hence the need for an in-depth review of the Banking Act.

Ms Serame revealed that the current projections were that the economy would rebound by at least 9.7 per cent, attributing the rebound to a steady recovery in the global diamond industry.

“The projected recovery in output is premised on, among others, expected improvements in the performance of both mining and non-mining sectors, accommodative monetary conditions, supportive business environment,” she said.

Notwithstanding these developments, Ms Serame noted that domestic inflation was projected to be within the Bank of Botswana objective range of three to six per cent in the medium term.

She further stated that it was worth noting that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) approved the exiting of Botswana from the greylist on the basis that the action plan had been fully implemented.

“It is important for the country to sustain the strong political will to combat money laundering, counter financing of terrorism and counter financing of proliferation,” she said.

Minister Serame said the nation should guard against anti-money laundering, counter terrorism financing and counter proliferation financing. Ends