10 Mar 2022

There is need for government to have deliberate strategies on transition from coal powered electricity to solar energy. 

This was expressed by Francistown MP, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi in his contribution to the debate on the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security’s 2022/2023 financial year budget request on Tuesday. 

Mr Mmolotsi argued that Botswana was blessed with abundance of sunshine. 

“We should start showing intentions as a country to transit from the use of coal to renewable electricity. 

God has given us more sunshine than most countries, which will enable us to produce abundant quantities of electricity should government come up with clear strategies on solar energy production,” he said. 

The legislator lamented that the current programmes on solar energy production were only ‘half hearted.’ 

Selebi Phikwe West MP, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse on the other hand called for establishment of a mineral policy with strong emphasis on beneficiation. 

Mr Keorapetse said a beneficiation drive in diamonds, soda ash, nickel and copper would help to diversity the economy and create employment opportunities. 

He urged the ministry to target at least 50 per cent beneficiation of the mineral resources in the country. 

He was also concerned that the country was exporting many job opportunities by allowing processing of locally mined minerals to be done in other countries. 

He further asked that requirements for acquiring mineral prospecting licenses should be made less stringent, arguing that such pushed Batswana aside and enabled wealthy foreign nationals to dominate mineral prospecting in this country. 

“Government should facilitate acquisition of loans from local, regional and international financial institutions, and provide guarantees to those loans if at all we want Batswana to be involved in mining,” he said. 

Mr Keorapetse added that there should be a policy deliberately empowering Batswana owned companies to invest in mining. 

Mmadinare MP, Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi urged the ministry to implement the Public Private Partnerships policy for implementation of energy and fuel storage projects. 

Mr Molebatsi said construction of fuel storage facilities, power transmission lines and power stations should be carried out in partnership with the private sector. 

He also asked for expansion of power infrastructure network in Mogapi, Mogapinyana and Tamasane villages in Mmadinare constituency owing to their growth. 

He also challenged the ministry to set up a fund for diamond and polishing and another one for mineral exploration to encourage citizens’ participation in the mineral sector. 

Boteti East MP, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe applauded the ministry for establishment of the Roof Top Programme. 

Mr Lelatisitswe said the programme had potential to increase access to cheaper electricity. “It is the issue that we should look at closely to see how the ministry would assist many Batswana to utilise solar energy,” he said. 

He urged the ministry to connect Khwee village in Boteti East constituency to the national power grid. He further asked for expansion of power infrastructure in Mosu, Mmatshumu and Mokubilo villages. 

Chobe MP, Mr Machana Shamukuni thanked the ministry for the North West Transmission Grid project. 

He said many villages in the Chobe District would benefit from improved electricity supply since the district had been getting all its electricity supply from outside Botswana. 

He further asked for electricity network expansion in Kachikau, Kavimba, Kazungula and Mabele villages. 

Responding to issues raised by MPs, Minister Moagi said government was working on minerals beneficiation hence removed stringent requirements that made it difficult for Batswana to apply for mineral prospecting licenses. 

He further said government wanted to help Batswana participate in mining business. 

On power production, Mr Moagi said government aimed to utilise all electricity generation methods available in the country to produce power for the nation. 

Meanwhile, Parliament approved the over P350m recurrent and over P893m development budget proposal presented by the minister. Ends