13 Dec 2022

Batswana have been urged to explore opportunities in the creative industry in order to create wealth.

In his contribution to Chapter 6 of the Transitional National Development Plan (TNDP), which speaks of sustainable economic development, Monday, Francistown East MP Buti Billy said government was targeting the creative industry as a source of income generation.

Mr Billy, who is also the Assistant Minister of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture, said with the transitional development plan due to be implemented from April 2023 to March 2025, it was necessary to develop value chains in the creative industry.

He also talked about the logistics sector, which cut across different disciplines such as transport and social functions, saying it was necessary for locals to take advantage of it.

He said photography, including film production, was a lucrative business that could be exported and become sustainable.

Mr Billy said the recent engagement of celebrated radio personality Thato Sikwane was a welcome development.

He said youth must take advantage of content development and assist the Department of Broadcasting Services following the opening of new channels that required a lot of programming and content.

On the ease of doing business, he said CIPA had reduced the red tape thus allowing market boom.

He stated that the Dubai Expo was eye-opening for many local businesses, allowing for skills development in the business sector.

Mr Billy said the recent Forbes Under 30 also assisted youth entrepreneurs on how to grow businesses in different aspects such as branding.

He said there was loan facility for the arts that youth businesses must consider taking advantage of for skills transfer and job creation.

He applauded government for setting up a multi-million Pula Kavuru Training Centre in Maun for training young people on safety and drilling to help in mechanised mining.

He said the envisaged Francistown dry port would improve transport and logistics centre in the area.

For his part, Francistown South MP, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi encouraged Batswana to have a different approach to the agriculture sector for the country to be self-sufficient.

He proposed for government to consider subsidising borehole drilling for those who had shown commitment to farming, but lacked funds, adding that poor water distribution reversed gains of sustainability in the agric. sector.

He said infrastructure development was vital to facilitate goods movement while also assisting value chains.

Where possible, he said Botswana should consider the Brazilian concept of family agriculture where government gives subsidies on farm implements and inputs.

He said the arrangement would meet the needs of farmers and close the gap on the import bill.

Mr Mmolotsi said established businesses were not given priority, while much attention was given to foreigners.

He urged government to establish a multinational institute that would generate income outside the country, saying the Botswana Vaccine Institute was a success story that should be replicated elsewhere.

MP for Lerala/Maunatlala Mr Sethabelo Modukanele said livestock was the backbone of an ordinary Motswana.

He said it was disheartening for Batswana to lose their hard earned cattle through theft, which was rampant countrywide.

He said government should expedite the construction of Lerala Primary Hospital.

Mr Modukanele said there was so much tourism potential in different aspects not only wildlife.

He said Letswapo region, especially around Malaka, lacked infrastructural developments, which denied the area the ability to generate income.

Ms Nnaniki Makwinja, MP for Lentsweletau/Mmopane, stated that it was critical to assist businesses in establishing themselves in order to achieve sustainable development.

She urged government to create a data base to locate Batswana who could be assisted on large scale businesses.

She said SMMEs must be assisted as the informal sector had great potential to generate employment.

Ms Makwinja said farmers’ associations and cooperatives must be facilitated as they had the potential to be money spinning entities.

She said despite some challenges, water and electricity projects were off the ground in her constituency while internal roads remained a problem. ENDS