03 Nov 2013

The Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Nonofo Molefhi has urged stakeholders in the aviation industry to explore available opportunities for the growth of the industry.

Speaking during the Aviation Pitso, the minister called on stakeholders to define ways of exploiting opportunities for the industry to grow. 

Mr Molefhi noted that Botswana was centrally located in Southern Africa hence the need to explore benefits that could be derived from a growing aviation sector. He said there was need for partnerships with a view to organising the sector in such a way that it could become a hub and distribution centre. 

He observed that infrastructure was one important factor that was required for the growth and sustainability of the industry, noting that stakeholders should take advantage in situations where government invested in infrastructure. He said they should also look into alternatives to finance infrastructure. 

“We need to put our heads together, collaborate with a view to making sure that Maun is the destination of choice and it becomes a passenger hub,” the minister stressed. 

He noted that government had shown commitment to the development of the aviation sector, which, according to a recent release from Statistics Botswana indicated increase in both local and international aircraft and passenger movements. 

Mr Molefhi also said that his ministry was talking to the government of India about the establishment of an aviation school which would train pilots. 

He also informed participants that the most critical issue today revolved around significant safety concerns, and noted that Botswana was audited in eight areas in 2006 by the International Civil Aviation Organisation in terms of ICAO’s Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme.

He said the outcome was that Botswana was found wanting in two significant safety concerns; in areas of flight operations and airworthiness. 

Mr Molefhi said failure to address the two areas soon will have a long lasting effect on the aviation industry in the country and other sectors of the economy such as tourism and international trade.

He pointed out that currently, they have published 19 regulations and emphasised the need to deal with regulations because they are instruments used to audit their operations and ensure compliance with industry standards. 

For her part, the permanent secretary in the Ministry for Transport and Communications, Ms Tsaone Thebe shared the minister’s sentiments. She said the pitso would give them an opportunity to reflect on their achievements and identify challenges that were observed in last year’s resolutions. 

“There is need to reflect on our achievements before we make other recommendations,” she said. 

Ms Thebe urged participants to take the pitso seriously as they intend to close the gaps within the aviation industry. Ends