26 Jun 2024

Ngwato Land Board members have been urged to openly declare their personal interests when allocating land. 

Speaking at a two-day orientation workshop for members of Ngwato Land Board in Francistown on June 24, Acting Board Secretary, Ms Kainayang Jobe said declaration of interest promoted transparency and honesty in the land allocation process. 

“We must commit ourselves to a system that is fair and impartial. Transparency demands that we declare any potential conflict of interest that may influence our decisions. This is vital in ensuring that our land allocation process is beyond reproach,” she said. 

She said declaration of interest would ensure Ngwato Land Board operated with integrity and accountability, protecting the interest of all stakeholders in the land allocation processes.

Ms Jobe also implored the board members to hold hard to the principle of equity in their decisions making processes, and emphasised the need for a balanced and equitable distribution of land amongst Batswana. 

“Resolutions that prioritise equity and that consider the needs of all our people are what we need from you,” she added.

She also challenged them to view challenges not as insurmountable, but as a catalysts for growth and innovation. 

“Embrace adversity as a seed of opportunity. Every difficulty is a chance for you to rise to the occasion and craft solutions that will not only benefit our people, but also transform our communities,” she added.

She said challenges Ngwato Land Board was faced with  included inadequate staff and transport, and scarce funds, but implored the board to rise above such obstacles and deliver exceptional results. 

Ms Jobe acknowledged the significant contribution of Ngwana Land Board to the government’s ambitious project to allocate 100 000 plots to Botswana.

She said out of the total number of plots, Ngwato Land Board, allocated a staggering 20 per cent, a notable accomplishment that placed them in the forefront of the initiative, setting an example for other land boards to emulate.

In his welcome remarks, Dr Phillimon Motsu challenged board members to embrace values of transparency, accountability, fairness, independence, and social responsibility. 

He said as custodian of the most precious resource, such values served as the bedrock upon which all decisions should be made. 

He implored them to ensure that the interest of people were always put first.

“In your role as custodians of land, you bear a tremendous responsibility,” said Mr Motsu.

Ngwato Deputy Land Board secretary, Mr Ephraim Mosimanyana called on land board members to discharge their authority efficiently even when evicting squatters in their area of jurisdictions and avoid potential political interference.

 He said they had the power, the responsibility and the duty to evict squatters from public land, no matter the time of the year. 

“Act with courage and conviction for the good of our people and our nation,” said Mr Mosimanyana. Ends