Africa-Press – Botswana. Okavango West MP, Mr Kenny Kapinga has said effective leadership can boost productivity.
Making his contribution in Parliament on Wednesday to the proposed motion to adopt the National Productivity and Competitiveness Policy tabled by Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Major General Pius Mokgware, he said it was high time leaders take the lead.
“In the yesteryears, people were elected into high positions not because of what they could do, but because of their names or who they knew, nepotism killed productivity,” said Mr Kapinga.
He said poor leadership had a cascading negative effect on productivity across the country.
Mr Kapinga said therefore the motion was a necessary step to reinvigorate Botswana’s public and private sectors to improve the country.
“Leaders must possess the attributes necessary to take the country forward. They must not only lead with vision but also with integrity.” he said.
He emphasised the importance of cultivating a workforce that was not only well equipped, but also competitive on a global scale.
Sharing the same sentiments, Maun West MP, Mr Caterpillar Hikuama stressed that strong character, responsibility and ethical leadership were the foundation for a productive nation.
“Productivity starts with the government being responsible,” Mr Hikuama said, highlighting the urgent need for a culture of discipline and integrity in leadership, further saying that good character must be adopted if Botswana was to improve productivity in the country.
He emphasised that leaders must set the tone, arguing that a government that lacked responsibility could not inspire its citizens.
“Leaders should have confidence to deliver, only then will the people they lead be motivated and productive,” he asserted.
Mr Hikuama was particularly vocal about time management, calling it a critical tool in achieving national productivity.
“The government today does not take time management seriously, that alone is killing productivity,” he said, calling for a shift in mindset across public institutions.
He also criticised the practice of direct tender awards, likening it to corruption and nepotism.
“People are being awarded tenders not because of what they can deliver, but because of who they know, that undermines productivity and breeds inefficiency,” he warned. MP for Mahalapye East, Mr Augustine Nyatanga also emphasised that the culture of favouritism and patronage had led to the appointment of ineffective individuals in key positions, stifling innovation and performance across sectors.
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