07 Feb 2013

Some Ngamiland farmers have expressed optimism that the pilot community score card will enhance service delivery and accountability among service providers, who are predominantly government ministries and parastatals.

In a meeting with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Lands and Housing in Maun recently, they said if well implemented, the tool would afford customers an input into government programmes and policies.

Mr Anthony Vasco of Maun said the tool would make service providers aware that they were not only accountable to government but to consumers too, which in turn would enhance service efficiency.

Mr Killer Ledimo also opined that if the tool was well implemented, it would propel especially, the Ngamiland livestock industry which has had major challenges for the last seven years.

However, Mr Ledimo cautioned that the tool would bear fruits only if farmers and the service providers acknowledged their shortcomings in efforts to control livestock diseases in the area and stop pointing fingers at each other.

He said the tool was also an eye opener for them, adding it would link them with policy makers as well as service providers. He stressed the importance of observing the time frames of the action plan for it to produce the desired results.

According to Mr Mabunga Gadibolae, a senior official from the National Assembly, the score card was intended to interface service providers, service beneficiaries and the oversight which was provided by Parliament, with the view to promote quality service to the nation.

He said the tool was adopted from the parliamentary centre in Ghana after realising that local parliamentary portfolio committees lacked certain instruments which they could use to monitor expenditure, service delivery and the implementation of government projects.

Mr Gadibolae said the instrument would ensure that government resources were used efficiently and effectively to improve the living standards of citizens.

He noted that they picked the agriculture, lands and housing theme for the Ngamiland District since the area was a Foot and Mouth Disease hot spot.

Mr Gadibolae also explained that three other committees were testing the same tool in Kanye, Letlhakeng and Selebi Phikwe, with area specific themes such as health and HIV/AIDS, education and skills development as well as local government and social welfare respectively.

"If it produces the desired results, he said the tool will be rolled out to other areas across the nation in future," he said. Mr Gadibolae said the tool had success stories in countries like Zambia, Malawi and in Kenya.

The Parliamentary committee which was chaired by Mr Frank Ramsden, comprised messrs: Kagiso Molatlhegi, Moeng Pheto, Tawana Moremi, Gilson Saleshando, John Toto and  Taolo Habano. ENDS