12 Feb 2023

Government should prioritise rural infrastructure development as a key component towards rural economic development.

Contributing to the debate on the budget proposals for the 2023/2024 financial year recently, Shashe West Member of Parliament, Mr Fidelis Molao said rural infrastructure development should take precedence in the P12.7 billion proposed for the implementation of infrastructure development under the proposed allocations.

“The allocation of the infrastructure development budget should be biased towards face-lifting rural infrastructure as a mitigating factor on rural-urban migration,” Mr Molao said.

The MP applauded government for continued devotion of resources to infrastructure development to support sustainable growth and improve livelihoods.

He, however, highlighted the importance of equal distribution of developments among both rural and urban dwellers.

Rural infrastructure development, he said, would play a significant role in enabling an exclusive environment for business growth, thus improving investor confidence on rural areas.

“Despite the provision of infrastructure developments in rural areas, rural infrastructure development projects will curb the current surge in rural to urban migration and reduce overcrowding in urban areas, which on its own have negative implications,” he said.

Mr Molao appreciated the P8.22 billion allocated to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development recurrent budget, saying ‘it is pleasing that the budget was driven by the upgrading of some sub-districts to fully-fledged councils.

He also commended government for striving to achieve administrative expediency and decentralising services at the local authorities.

“It is on that note that my constituents applaud the upgrading of the Tutume Sub-district Council and Tonota Sub-district,” he said.

He said the P10.31 billion allocated for the Ministry of Health was also commendable, with the hope that it included the Simitwe and Mathangwane clinics upgrade.

Contributing to the debate, Mogoditshane legislator, Mr Tumiso Rakgare lauded Batswana for continually entrusting the government with maintaining the country’s macro-economic and fiscal table over the years.

“The BDP-led government will do everything in its power to assist Batswana to have meaningful share in their economy.

Government has also made strides in policy reforms, land reforms, digitisation and economic inclusion, all aimed at bringing positive impact on the livelihoods of Batswana,” Mr Rakgare said.

He also said it was through good governance that the country recorded a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of 11.8 per cent in 2021 and economic recovery had continued with strong GDP growth of 6.5 per cent year-on-year over the first three quarters of 2022.

However, he decried high unemployment rates despite a slight decrease registered in the preliminary data released by Statistics Botswana, which indicated that unemployment rate slightly declined to 25.4 per cent from 26 per cent. ENDS