27 Jun 2024

Deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has highlighted the need for social and community development officers to develop inclusive protection and shock interventions that will help to build resilient communities.

Officially opening the Hukuntsi District Council Social and Community Development retreat in Maun on Wednesday, Ms Mamikie Kamanakao said it was therefore important for officers to familiarise themselves with the National Social Protection Framework (NSPF) for easier coordination of social protection programmes.

“Gone are the days where we focused much on compiling reports that show increasing number of destitute persons. We also need to move away from the silo mentality because we are all working towards one goal which is to develop human beings and I challenge you to embrace change and move away from welfare to workfare as that is where the world is going,” she said.

Ms Kamanakao  also challenged the officers to understand the ministry’s Strategic Transformation Plan and the NSPF and use them as guiding tools to assist the ministry to improve its performance.

“The NSPF facilitates a shift towards a life cycle perspective to identify how social protection could be and currently does to protect the vulnerable society,” she added.

She further urged participants to introspect and ensure that they aligned their services, operations with the ministry’s strategic plan and the NSPF.

“We should be efficient and effective in what we are doing in order to give Batswana results. Social and community development officers are the backbone of local government in delivering service to Batswana and as such, you should been seen linking social assistance programmes with human development services for beneficiaries and helping them transition into jobs,” she said.

Furthermore, Ms Kamanakao urged participants to accelerate efforts to promote social change, social justice as well as eradicate poverty in the society through empowering the communities to be self-reliant.

“We need to also change the way we have been doing things and align with what the citizens are looking for and what the ministry wants in order to achieve through implementation of the strategy and the framework,” she said.

She appreciated the newly upgraded council for its performance, saying ‘it is the first district and a trendsetter in driving Chema Chema initiative’.

Welcoming participants, North West District Council secretary, Mr Thatayotlhe Balapi urged officers to embrace change and promote social inclusion and economic empowerment among the communities.

Mr Balapi reminded them of their primary role of enhancing human wellbeing and assisting to meet human basic needs, particularly empowering those who were vulnerable and living in poverty.

“As such, beneficiaries should be seen graduating from available programmes and do something to contribute to the local economy,” he said.

Hukuntsi District Council secretary, Mr Mosaoka Katorah said the retreat was platform to identify burning issues and in turn devise some interventions that would improve quality of life of the communities they served. ENDS