Africa-Press – Botswana. Letlhakeng district leadership and technocrats has been implored to devise innovative strategies to transform the region from poverty stricken area into a prosperous and thriving community.
Addressing Letlhakeng District Council on Tuesday, the Minister for State President, Mr Moeti Mohwasa regretted that most Kweneng West residents lived below the poverty datum line.
The minister encouraged innovative thinking and emphasised the importance of a mindset shift and involvement of the youth in the economy to foster creativity and positive change.
He underscored the need to engage the private sector, saying public private partnerships (PPP) could accelerate economic growth.
Mr Mohwasa described the district’s poor academic performance as a crisis as it reflected failure by parents and public officers in supporting students.
On youth unemployment, he said it stood at 60 per cent in the region, and reiterated the urgent need to take proactive steps against poverty and unemployment before the victims were engulfed by desperation.
Also, the minister underscored the need for advocacy and lobbying to attract investment and development.
He implored Letlhakeng community to set aside political differences and unite for the benefit of future generations.
Mr Mohwasa noted that government was dedicated to decentralisation and they were still working on its implementation.
The minister assured the council that special constables would be integrated into police service in phases to avoid service disruptions and owing to resource limitations. Mr Mohwasa said UDC government was committed to a living wage of P4000.
In his briefing, Letlhakeng District Deputy Council Chairperson, Mr Johane Gaosafelwe called for the clinic to be adequately equipped while awaiting construction of a hospital. He highlighted the importance of resourcing schools in the region to address declining academic performance.
Mr Gaosafelwe noted that despite Letlhakeng being an independent district, some officials still reported under Molepolole, and some residents received services from neighboring districts.
Member of Parliament for Letlhakeng constituency, Brigadier Domcaza Mokgwathi encouraged his constituents to leverage value chains and develop projects that could positively impact the local economy, advocating for collaboration to foster harmony.
Letlhakeng District Commissioner, Mr Ian Tema stressed the need to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty in Kweneng West region, highlighting the importance of patience and resilience in achieving this goal and suggested that this could be done through PPP.
He mentioned that land planning should accommodate industrial development and noted that road infrastructure was also crucial.
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