Africa-Press – Botswana. The government is committed to combating corruption to safeguard the country, says Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Mr Ketlhalefile Motshegwa.
Addressing the Letlhakeng District Council recently, Mr Motshegwa emphasised the urgent need to combat corruption as it threatened the economy and compromised the future of the nation, leading to underdevelopment. He explained that as a result of corruption, undeserving contractors were given opportunities at the expense of those with the necessary expertise and capacity. He promised that his ministry would ensure that all projects were delivered on time and within budget and that they were durable and of high quality.
“We are emphasising consequence management,” he said, adding ‘when you deliberately deviate from established processes and procedures, resulting in additional costs to the government due to your decision-making, there must be consequences imposed upon you’.
Companies that deliver shoddy work and fail to complete projects within budget and on time, he warned, would be blacklisted. He also stated that public employees who engaged in corrupt activities would be shown the door. The minister further expressed concern about corruption in recruitment and promotion processes.
“Corruption will shorten your career,” he sent a stern warning.
Mr Motshegwa informed the meeting that councillors would soon have offices where they would serve the community. He stated that offices would be established at the ward level, and the ministry had guided that village development committees buildings could be used as offices. In the event that village development committees do not have structures to be used as offices, he mandated them [VDC] to collaborate with the public works programme to deliver structures.
As a startup, he said two public works beneficiaries would be designated at each councillor’s office to perform secretarial duties. Regarding the decentralisation policy on the horizon, he stated that it would promote bottom-up planning. He hoped that the framework would help achieve a community-led economy.
He also stated that government would enact policies aligned with the people’s needs, emphasising that the policy framework would not be detached from the situation on the ground and practicalities, to address the socio economic challenges.
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