Africa-Press – Botswana. The widespread illicit drug use situation facing the country has been likened to a ticking time bomb.
Thus the 50-bed rehabilitation centre in Serowe, an intervention to wage war on drug and alcohol abuse, is appropriate and appreciated. Gaborone Central Member of Parliament and Minister for International Relations, Dr Phenyo Butale, in his contribution to the SONA on Thursday, said the situation was dire and concerning.
He said the envisaged 50-bed drugs and alcohol rehabilitation centre was a step to address the concerns, as many drugs, such as CAT and madaena, were destroying many futures. While the rehab would be in Serowe, Dr Butale highlighted the need for another such rehab targeting the southern parts of the country.
President Advocate Duma Boko in his SONA, stated that there were concerns that government was not fighting drugs and alcohol abuse enough, noting that some institutions that were supposed to curb this were in fact, perpetuating and exacerbating the problem. Therefore, Dr Butale said the government had shown concern about the spiraling drug situation, which he said also affected communities in his constituency.
Also, Dr Butale said President Boko delivered an impactful SONA, which reckoned the country’s economy and paved the way forward, adding that TVET students’ allowance increase, declaring Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital a public facility, reduction of electricity prices, increase of old age pension, and water bill amnesty showed the path the new government was taking.
He added that the move had been well received by community members, including some trade unions. Dr Butale challenged opposition parties’ members of Parliament to put their ideas forward, saying the government was eager on any idea that could take the country forward. He said politics was a contestation of ideas, calling on the opposition to present alternatives to what the government had put forth.
“Those who say the government had not done anything failed to appreciate where the economy was when Umbrella for Democratic Change took over state power.”
Dr Butale further said the government was also eager to develop the multi-billion pula creative industry, a development that would have ripple effects on other sectors.
Chobe MP, Mr Simasiku Mapulanga said although Chobe had abundant water, the area still faced an acute shortage of the resource. Also, he said rooftop solar energy project should be a priority as it would help to reach out to rural communities, adding government should introduce rooftop solar energy in its buildings to cut electricity costs. Further, he said community trusts should also be assisted to harness solar energy.
He thanked the government for increasing brigades students’ allowance from P300 to P1,900, but noted that brigade intake in his area was low, hence most youth were not benefiting. Mr Mapulanga said there was a need to restructure the public service to ensure efficiency of service delivery.
Digitisation drive would not bear much fruit without restructuring and retooling the public service, Mr Mapulanga said.
Source: dailynews
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