16 Feb 2014

Francistown district commissioner (DC), Ms Cordelliah Mpape has assured government departments that her office is doing everything it can to have structural shortcomings within Ntshe House restored.

Ms Mpape was responding to concerns raised by members of the Francistown Urban Development Committee (UDC) recently that the building had poor air conditioning, broken escalators and a partly blown up roof top for far too long.

Ntshe House, a building that housed most of government departments operating in and around the city, might look good from outside, but  workers said the going was tough for them particularly during summertime.

They argued that central air-conditioning was widely used in organisations around the world and it was essential in hot climates. “It is curious that a big and central building like Ntshe House can remain without such important aspects for so many years,” a concerned UDC member lamented.

They added that the situation with elevators, which they said were constantly out of order and usually forced workers and members of the public alike to use the typically demanding stairways, called for an urgent attention.

They argued that it was difficult for the elderly members of the public to reach upper floors by climbing the stairs. Some of the most people-centred departments such as Omang and education offices were situated on top floors. 

Some even suggested that if the responsible ministry was overwhelmed by funding constraints an appeal should be made to various departments that occupy the building for them to contribute towards its maintenance.

“We tried that route a number of times in the past but to date no department has come forward to submit their share of the imagined contribution,” interjected Ms Mpape, who admitted that the building appeared to have not had any major maintenance work since it was opened some 15 years ago.

She said she would continue to press hard for attention with relevant authorities although she knew that money needed to restore the said problems was huge and difficult to secure.Ms Mpape said she had already prepared estimates which amount to a whopping P27 million to cover everything needed to make the building good and comfortable again.

“Where are we going to get this kind of money when we all know that the government does not have it,” she said.On that account, UDC members urged the District Commissioner to take up the issue with the national leadership because the problems affecting Ntshe House seemed to have gone beyond the control of the local authorities.

The equally frustrated members also suggested that departments should be allowed to install their own air conditioners because it was tough especially during summer times.“That is not advisable because too many air conditioners will obviously lead to overloading and tripping of circuit breakers,” advised one of them, Mr Fadzani Phegelo, from the Department of Building and Engineering Services (DBES).   

He said circuit breakdowns will in turn affect productivity as computers will stop working as well. UDC is the highest district level committee and is chaired by both the DC and the Town Clerk. It consists of topmost representatives of all district level departments and organisations involved in the administration of district level developments.

Ntshe House is the hub of government activity and on any given day, young people and adults alike swam the place to seek help from various departments housed in the building. Ends