07 Dec 2021

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has described collaboration between government, employers and workers as a prerequisite for any meaningful progress.

Officially opening the 2021 BOPEU national general congress in Palapye yesterday, Dr Masisi said government was prepared to work with the labour movement in pursuit of the national development agenda.

“We value your contribution as it provides opportunities for coming up with innovative ideas that will take this country forward in terms of socio-economic development,” he said.

He said Batswana had entrusted government with the responsibility to develop the nation with the expectation that the leadership would take the country on a path of sustainable social and economic development. 

“My vision is to see this country being transformed into a Botswana that provides opportunity and dignity for all,” the President said.

Pointing out that the road to realising the vision was fraught with numerous enormous and complex challenges such as high unemployment, low productivity, poverty and lately, the COVID-19 pandemic, all of which required substantial resources, he said solutions required cooperation among all stakeholders, including the labour movement.

The President said the event’s theme; “Building the labour movement through unity, stability and cohesion in the advent of COVID-19 pandemic” was opportune and relevant in view of the complex and multidimensional challenges facing humanity as a result of the scourge.

President Masisi noted that the congress was taking place at a time when the country was grappling with the effects of COVID-19 and facing a period of uncertainty because of emerging variants, lately Omicron, which was discovered in Botswana.

He however appealed for calm and urged all to continue adhering to COVID-19 health protocols of wearing face masks, handwashing or sanitizing regularly, maintaining social distancing and avoiding unnecessary travel.

President Masisi said COVID-19 had underlined the need for universal access to comprehensive, adequate and sustainable social protection to ensure that all in need had access to basic social benefits, including income security for workers who would have lost their jobs and livelihoods due to the pandemic.

He further said in Botswana there had been increasing recognition that provision of social protection was an investment in the population and a key contribution to the country’s sustainable development.

As a result, he said, government had developed a comprehensive social protection system and devoted significant resources to its implementation.

Pursuant to that, President Masisi said government considered it appropriate to develop a national social protection framework to increase the cost effectiveness of social protection programmes and thus enhance return on investment.

He noted that in April last year, government introduced an economic relief package to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and keep economic activity and livelihoods afloat.

On another issue, President Masisi said Botswana had ratified 15 ILO conventions including all core agreements because of their significance to the social and economic development of Batswana, particularly workers.BOPA