15 Dec 2024

There are still many pending issues whose answers Batswana are still thirsty for, and it is upon the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) government to address them, says Ghanzi legislator, Mr Noah Salakae.

When contributing to State-of-the-Nation Address on Thursday, Mr Salakae said addressing such pertinent issues would appease Batswana and give them closure.

“Such issues include among others, the friction between former presidents, Lt Gen Seretse Khama Ian Khama and Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi. This is one issue that requires us to discuss and put to bed,” he said.

He said this was more so that the friction had claimed many casualties in terms of job losses.

Mr Salakae cited other issues such as the effects of the 2011 industrial strike, lack of medicines in health facilities, the state of affairs in the judiciary as well as the Development Manager Model, which he said had cost Botswana in millions.

Mr Salakae, who is also the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, said there was a need by government to encourage entrepreneurship than the current situation where tenderpreneurs prevailed.

“This is because the former is more beneficial than the latter in terms of economic sustenance,” he said and explained that even though the country had a sizeable number of mines and natural resources, unemployment, poverty and inequality still prevailed.

Mr Salakae said the fact that Ghanzi had a smaller population against the number of banks was a sign of its economic potential and proposed that it be turned into a city.

He also suggested that Ghanzi airstrip be expanded to the level of an airport that could accommodate large aircrafts.

Mr Salakae also said Ghanzi with its cattle population deserved to have a slaughter slab, to save farmers transportation costs to Lobatse abattoir.

“Establishing a slaughter slab will therefore increase profit margins for farmers, while Botswana Meat Commission will only help market the Ghanzi beef,” he said and added that such would force give butcheries in Ghanzi competition and force them to cut prices.

For his part, Charleshill MP and also Assistant Minister of Water and Human Settlement, Mr Motsamai Motsamai attributed UDC’s victory to the foundations laid by opposition forefathers.

He said Charleshill needed a primary hospital while Ghanzi needed a district hospital.

This, he said was due to the fact that the area had mines, mineral deposits as well as a number of farms, factors that he said influenced the area population.

“Charleshill has a planned rail line to the dryport in Namibia, which also strengthens a need for these facilities,” he said.

He also supported the idea of Ghanzi airstrip expansion arguing that this would open up the area for business opportunities.

Mr Motsamai further called for the maintenance of roads to farms in the area as well as the establishment of network connectivity.

He suggested that the youth, who had been employed on temporary arrangement, be made permanent.

“Employing them on permanent basis would give them certainty of job security, therefore, allow them to make long term life plans,” said Mr Motsamai.

He also called for tarring of road networks in his areas, such as Kalkfontein-Metsimantsho, Metsimantsho-Matlhoaphuduhudu, Ncojane-Ukhwi and New Xanagas-Makunda among others. Specially Elected Member of Parliament and Minister of Minerals and Energy, Ms Bogolo Kenewendo said Botswana National Youth Council (BNYC) had lost its integrity and ought to be invigorated.

She said the BNYC used to be a place of discourse, engagement, entertainment and of social interaction for young people.

“It is such a shame to see it brought to dust and I truly hope that we see it back, to bring back the dignity that we deserve as young people. This is where youth agency is built and solidified for tomorrow’s leadership,” she said.

Ms Kenewendo said there was a need to find a path to a structurally lower level of diamond revenues.

She said even if the diamond market rebounded, the country would never get back to the heydays hence the need to ensure adequately budgeting, to control debt levels so as not reach unsustainable level, which would lead to a debt crisis.

Ms Kenewendo therefore, said the NDP 12 process needed updating to reflect the current times, noting that proper project appraisal and prioritisation as well as proper costing to avoid bloating of projects were necessary.

Regarding the mining sector, Ms Kenewendo said the industry had been experiencing contrasting fortunes and that the diamond sector was grappling with weak global demand, primarily due to economic slowdown in largest markets.

She said the recent years had challenges such as geopolitical tensions, including the United States-China trade dispute and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which further compounded the difficulties while COVID-19 pandemic further strained the industry.

 However, she said she was optimistic of the diamond market recovery soon.

Also, she said there were exciting times around green industrialisation, adding that the country was fortunate to have resources needed for the transition.

“There is a lot of climate finance at the moment that is floating around in the renewable space,” she said, adding that such presented an opportunity to invest in renewables.

Ms Kenewendo said the country ought to tap into the exponentially growing access to climate finance.

The minister further said besides dealing with the fiscal crisis in the short term, longer-term adjustment was needed, and such called to for close leakages and promote prudent spending. ENDS