12 Mar 2014

Parliament has approved the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources budget proposals totaling P3 797 144 690 for the 2014/15 financial year on Tuesday, March 11.

Out of the amount, P298 818 210 would be for the recurrent budget and P3 499 326 480 for the development budget. 

Debating the budget request, the MP for Selebi Phikwe East, Mr Nonofo Molefhi said emissions from the BCL Mine should be turned into something that could benefit the country and create employment to help diversify the country’s economy.

He said the country should speed up the mining of its vast coal reserves and look for international markets when there was still time.

Mr Molefhi also called for the use of water treatment plants to help address the problem of water shortage in the country, adding that the treated water should be used for human consumption before being considered for agricultural purposes.

MP for Okavango, Mr Bagalatia Arone said the P5 000 standard electricity connection fee was high and government should reconsider it as power was essential.

He said government should ensure that schools in Seronga and Gunotsoga were connected to the national grid to help students to study at odd hours after the fall of the night. On water reticulation, Mr Arone said places such as Seronga and Gudigwa should be revisited as they could nott rely on unreliable boreholes.

He said Shakawe and the senior secondary school should not be facing water problems as the constituency had plenty. Letlhakeng West legislator, Mr Ngaka Ngaka said settlements such as Khekheng had no power connections despite that it lied four kilometres away from Motokwe. 

He said the envisaged coal mine in Takatokwane should kick start operations sooner in order to create employment for Batswana. MP for Molepolole North, Mr Gaotlhaetse Matlhabaphiri said the water situation in Molepolole was worrisome and expressed hope that the situation would be addressed. 

He said more Batswana should be involved in the diamond industry, particularly that diamonds were sold locally, adding that efforts should be made to attract more buyers . 

On the electricity situation, Mr Matlhabaphiri said updates from Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) would be welcome so that people could be kept abreast with the developments. Ends