Africa-Press – Botswana. The District Development Committee (DDC) for Tutume District has been implored to embrace the new Ipelegeng programme which is done in partnership with Construction Industry Trust Fund (CITF). Addressing the DDC on Wednesday in Tutume, Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Talita Monnakgotla, said it was imperative that as drivers of the programme they understand it fully to effectively implement it.
Ms Monnakgotla said Tutume, unlike other districts, was lagging behind on the implementation of the programme despite it being one area through which locals in the district could be empowered as it equips beneficiaries with industrial skills which they could use for their survival.
She said DDC members as drivers of the programme they should dissuade communities from the mentality of degrading Ipelegeng works and perceiving the programme as a pastime. She said roping in CITF was meant to ensure that beneficiaries gain skills needed in the construction industry, the primary objective being to afford them the ability to stand on their own and fend for themselves once they completed their training.
“This is a breakthrough to earning large summons of money through skills gained at Ipelegeng,” she said. Ms Monnakgotla said the Ipelegeng programme had been the backbone of many developments from way back with which Batswana undertook projects to enhance their lives such as making access roads to ploughing fields and constructing classroom blocks. “Why should we not take Ipelegeng seriously now and have it develop our areas?” she asked.
Ms Monnakgotla urged the different government departments to work together in ensuring that the programme’s objectives are attained.
She said over the years there had been concerns of companies or contractors failing to complete projects within the stipulated time, noting however that reports now indicate that the bulk of construction projects that were done through Ipelegeng were completed within time and budget unlike those implemented through tender processes.
She said it is for such reasons that districts should use Ipelegeng trained workers as well as source their materials from local hardware stores particularly for small projects with a smaller scope.
Meanwhile, regional coordinator for Ipelegeng who covers Francistown, North East, Tonota, Tutume and Sowa Town, Mr Monamodi Lepotokisi, said he appreciated the assistant minister for her guidance on the new initiative, informing her that implementation of the programme had indeed started late in the area.
Mr Lepotokisi said the district leadership resolved that the construction of three LA2 houses in Tutume that was supposed to have been done through the new Ipelegeng initiative be put through tendering processes as the project scope was too large for it to be done through the programme. He explained that delays in the tendering processes saw the tender for the project, which was slated for implementation during the 2023/2024 financial year, being awarded in December and added that it is only lately that they have started receiving materials.
Nonetheless, he assured the assistant minister that they would award minor works to Ipelegeng skilled workers and also use local hardware stores for sourcing of materials to alleviate challenges of their delayed supply which was one of the impediments for project implementation in the current financial year.
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