13 Feb 2022

GABORONE - Members of Parliament on Thursday agreed to the 2022/23 national budget proposals.

Dr Edwin Dikoloti, MP for Mmathethe-Molapowabojang said he was happy that Mmathethe-Metlobo-Bray road would be constructed, saying it would improve residents’ lives because they would easily access markets for their farm produce.

He further welcomed a construction of a primary school in Gopong, saying this would ease congestion in Digawana and improve academic performance.

Dr Dikoloti said while people in Digawana and Mmathethe faced water shortages, there had been an improvement and he was optimistic that Lobatse Water Masterplan would permanently solve the problem.

The legislator was also concerned about high level of stock theft in his area, therefore he suggested that the number of detectives should be increased.

He also said a number of roads in his constituency should be tarred, saying some would link different constituencies.

Dr Dikoloti, who is also the Minister of Health and Wellness, said the country had secured three million COVID-19 vaccines and urged Batswana to receive booster shots.

In his contribution, MP for Kanye South, Dr Lemogang Kwape dismissed allegations that the budget speech was aligned to the manifesto of the opposition, saying everything in it showed the ruling party’s aspirations as promised during the run-up to the 2019 general elections.

He said government should do everything to fight corruption.

He welcomed the P3 billion to be spent on infrastructure development and said Batswana would be employed in various development projects covered in the budget speech.

For his part, the Good Hope-Mabule legislator, Mr Eric Molale, said the country was concerned with food sustainability to reduce the import bill.

Government, he saids, was addressing issues of health, education, food security as well as social and welfare programmes.

Talking about health, Mr Molale said major emphasis was on preventive health care, hence government providing free immunisation to infants and the elderly.

Mr Molale also welcomed a major water project, saying 33 villages in his constituency stood to benefit. About 70 per cent of villages had now been connected to the national grid, he explained.

The MP called for support of local products, saying it would add value to the economy and create jobs. ENDs