14 Nov 2022

Government continues to invest in infrastructure development to support different sectors of the economy and improve the country’s global competitiveness, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.

Delivering State-of-Nation-Address (SONA) on Monday, he said, this would be accomplished through development and maintenance of infrastructure through promotion of urban and rural linkages as well as regional integration.

To this end, he said there were major road construction and maintenance projects meant to decongest existing roads and connect major population centres.

So far, three road interchanges in Gaborone, which are partially operational, are expected to be completed by the end of the year with connection configuration of the field equipment to the centralised traffic control.

President Masisi said the amendment of Public Roads Act to establish toll gates that was passed in July further provided opportunity for alternative generation of revenue for the maintenance of roads, while Mohembo Bridge in the Okavango was completed in May.

The President said the Kazungula Bridge would further facilitate movement of people, goods and services as well as open opportunities for other strategic investments.

In addition, he said other planned road infrastructure  projects included the Martins Drift Border road to the Kazungula Bridge, which, he said wouldl maximise usage of the Kazungula Bridge to facilitate trade between Botswana, Southern Africa and countries in the north.

Other roads are the Mmamabula-Lephalale Rail Link to be constructed between 2023 and 2024, essential for the transportation of Botswana coal and other bulk commodities to the international markets.

Regarding the creative industry, he said the National Arts Council of Botswana continued to unlock potential in the creative industry.

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said during 2021/2022 financial year, P80 million was disbursed through the Youth Development Fund to support youth entrepreneurship development, resulting in 1 320 jobs. 

In that regard, he said government also developed land parcels for use as incubation sites to sharpen entrepreneurial skills.

Transitioning from analogue to digital terrestrial transmission, he said, resulted in the establishment of three Botswana Television channels with a policy of 80 per cent local and 20 per cent international content with further funding provided to capacitate people for content production.

Regarding the film industry, he said the Mass Media auditorium was being transformed into a hub for local film and television production.

Its objective is to support and capacitate the creative industry to protect literacy and artistic works, designs, images, creative products, innovations, filming and photography, thereby generating income from their intellectual property.

“The project will also commercialise the creative sector and include Batswana in the wildlife and tourism filming and photography industry,” he stated. ends