27 Nov 2022

 Government is working on a transitional plan to improve national development programmes, including those that fall under the scope of Constituency Community Projects (CCP).

Consequently, in the interim, CCP funds have been diverted for improving the state of internal roads and storm water drainage systems countrywide, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Mr Kgotla Autlwetse told Parliament on Friday.

Minister Autlwetse’s response followed an urgent motion tabled by Maun West MP Mr Dumelang Saleshando seeking Parliament to resolve that the current implementation mode of CCP be maintained to allow for communities and their local leadership to decide on projects to prioritise for implementation.

However, Parliament voted against the urgency of the motion after Mr Saleshando had tried to convince the National Assembly to adjourn other matters tabled in order to debate the issue.

“There has been a national outcry on the bad state of internal roads and storm water drainage in most villages across the country, largely attributed to budgetary constraints over the years. In response, government took a decision to utilise 2023-24 CCP funds to address this national outcry,” Mr Autlwetse said.

The minister said in the long term, the National Planning Commission would advise on how CCP and other development programmes would evolve and noted that the commission was currently developing a National Development Transitional Plan that would outline projects and programmes for the next two years.

“This plan is still to be presented to the General Assembly and subsequently to this August house after due consultations with ministries, local authorities and other stakeholders,” he revealed.

On that basis, Mr Autlwetse said he was compelled not to agree with the urgency of the motion.

Tabling the motion, Mr Saleshando said he was in possession of an official Savingram written on November 1, from the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to council secretaries and town clerks and tribal administrators on the refocus of CCP 2023-24.

Mr Saleshando said the letter stated that government had changed the implementation mode of CCP for the 2023-24 financial year as the funds would not be focused on the development of internal roads to facilitate ease of doing business.

“The matter is urgent for the National Assembly to debate since the letter instructs local councils to make preparations for such change by January before the ministry budget is tabled before Parliament in February,” he said.

He also said the matter was of public importance as it affected development projects in each constituency across the country.

Ghanzi South MP, Mr Motsamai Motsamai said the P10 million constituency fund had been beneficial to development and it was urgent for Parliament to continue with the status quo so that MPs, councillors, village development committees and communities could decide the projects they deemed most important.

Tonota legislator, Mr Pono Moatlhodi said according to the standing orders of Parliament, the MP had to consult and convince the Speaker of the National Assembly and the minister of the responsible portfolio of the urgency of tabling a motion of adjournment.

He said lack of such consultation nullified the urgency of the motion. ENDS