15 Dec 2013

The Ghanzi District Council Chairman, Mr Douglas Tlharese said the abattoir project is still awaiting green light from the government.

Addressing a full council meeting, Mr. Tlharese said that potential investors are still keen to finance this project once they are satisfied with the legalities surrounding it. The other investment project is the Olive project which is also continuing positively.

He said the Ghanzi District Council has registered a company for its investments in the month of November and they are ready to benefit from it once the master agreement is at the desired level.

Mr. Tlharese shared with councilors that Ghanzi District Council hosted a successful World Habitat Day event in Charleshill village and at the end managed to house five families. The Council Chairman said he went around the country soliciting funds from stakeholders and a total of five houses have been constructed.

Mr Tlharese said through the help of the Debswana mine, Botswana Building Society, Botswana Tourism Organization, Motor Holdings Gaborone and Botswana Power Corporation, they managed to construct those five houses.

The Council Chairman said Debswana and BBS each pledged P200, 000 followed by BTO with P100, 000, Motor Holding P30, 000 and BPC P20, 000. He said the stakeholders have made it possible for the struggling families to have decent accommodation and their benevolent gestures are in line with the Vision 2016 pillars of a Safe and Secure Nation and a Compassionate, Just and Caring Nation.

Mr. Tlharese told a full Council meeting that for social and community development issues for livestock provision, they had a budget of P836, 000 under the capital vote to purchase livestock for all RAD settlement. Mr. Tlharese said as a way of empowering those who had benefited before, the Council decided to directly procure from such individuals and the RADS farms.

He said this was done in a bid to empower the communities as they have to move from their RADS status to self-sustenance. The Council Chairman said they have managed to source a total of 160 heifers from their RADS farms and this clearly shows that these farms are a success story of the District Council.

The Council Chairman Mr. Tlharese urged the Councilors to encourage the farmers to take advantage of the rains and put to use the fertilizers and seeds that have been allocated to the District and plough as the government has reconsidered its initial position of only assisting those farmers who will engage in row planting this season.

Broadcasting farmers will also be assisted under the ISPAAD program but, will be paid P400 per hectare up to 5 hectare as it used to be before review of ISPAAD guidelines. ENDS