09 Dec 2013

Vice President, Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe says government has put in place various policies and programmes geared towards employment creation.

Officiating during Shoshong Constituency 2013 Investment Promotion show in Mahalapye on Saturday, December 7, Dr Kedikilwe said programmes such as Citizen Entrepreneurship Development Agency, (CEDA) Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) National Development Bank (NDB) were but a few examples of government efforts to make sure that employment was created for Batswana.

He said since the inception of CEDA over 5 000 enterprises were funded to a total value of nearly P3.4 billion and in the process creating over 30 000 jobs. In 2013/14, he said enterprises were assisted with P453 million generating 1 572 jobs.

He said NDB on the other hand has disbursed over P329 million between April and October 2013 as loans to Batswana in sectors such as agriculture, property, retail, industrial and commercial adding that those were the seeds that government was planting towards ultimately attaining full employment in the country. The day was held under the theme ‘Towards full employment through agriculture, tourism cooperatives and other strategic businesses’ to which the vice president, said it shows that Shoshong spearheads in taking and utilising investments opportunities and efforts.

Dr Kedikilwe also hailed Shoshong MP, Mr Phillip Makgalemele for exercising his authority to lure investors, alluding to two benchmarking trips by 80 farmers from the constituency to the North West Province in South Africa to learn more about integrated farming.

He said people in the Shoshong region have also had opportunities of visiting and be visited by various business people across Botswana borders to invest on agriculture business, mining opportunities as well as launching of a partnership with solar power that would see generation of solar energy through village cooperatives, saying that raise the living standards of Batswana.

Dr Kedikilwe therefore urged other Batswana to identify what other various economic hubs were there in their areas. He said they should do sustainable projects and that government would help with technical expertise.

MP Makgalemele encouraged all communities in his constituency to pursue sustainable livelihoods community projects and not to entirely depend on government only. Mr Makgalemele said their intention was to have a zero percent unemployment by bringing traders and investors in Shoshong constituency and stressed that their dream was achievable “as we will leave no stones unturned,” he stated.

He further said ISPAAD programme had an opportunity to profitably employ everyone and encourage Batswana at large to plough. In the early 1800s, he said Shoshong was one of the trading places in Botswana adding that they intend to establish the Japanese concept of “One village, one project model” as a key economy to support every village.

Mr Makgalemele thanked the NDB for sponsoring the show with P15 000 and the partners of Solar Energy for the development of Solar Energy in five villages in the constituency. The event was graced by diplomatic missions, the deputy Ambassador of the Indian High Commission, LEA representatives, community leaders, Mahalapye sub council chairperson, district commissioner, investors and potential investors among others. ENDS