07 Feb 2013

There is need to intensify awareness on the dangers of corruption in order to ensure that Botswana remains the least corrupt country in Africa, Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Dorcus Makgato-Malesu has said.

Launching the Ministry of Trade and Industry anti-corruption policy in Gaborone on February 7, she said fighting corruption was everyone’s responsibility.

She urged ministry employees to be cautious as they could fall into the corruption trap unawares.

Ms Makgato-Malesu said ministerial anti-corruption committees were established to help formulate corruption prevention plans and policies.

She said the fact that Botswana was rated the least corrupt country in Africa should not make Batswana complacent, adding that the nation should target the top spot in the world.

The minister said corruption should be dealt with, without sympathy or compromise.

Ms Makgato-Malesu said if the officers committed corruption, it would mean that the employees did not live up to the policies and strategies set out by the ministry.

She urged them to cascade the policy to every officer within the ministry so that everyone could execute it. “Let us all understand it at all levels, the person in Francistown or Tsabong should also understand it as much as the one in Gaborone,” she stressed.

She also pointed out that corruption concerned everyone and not only those who handled funds in their respective jobs. The minister said the policy should be reviewed regularly so that it could remain relevant and aligned to the ministry. “I look forward to its effective implementation,” she said. ENDS