Africa-Press – Botswana. The Acting President Mr Moeti Mohwasa has underscored the need to invest in meaningful projects that would benefit Batswana.
Addressing the Chobe District leadership on the upcoming National Development Plan 12 (NDP 12) in Kasane today, Mr Mohwasa stated that crafting of the NDP 12 should be tailored to address the needs of specific demographics and socioeconomic trends of Batswana across the country instead of making generic programmes that were not applicable to certain regions. He said Chobe District with its many natural resources should match the socioeconomic status of its people and infrastructure developments.
The Acting President indicated that Community Based Organsiations (CBOs) in Chobe should be in a position to sustain the region by exploring more projects that could create employment and transform the outlook of the area. He said it was essential that the planning process captured the needs of Batswana and that was possible with teamwork and consultations.
Mr Mohwasa said service delivery in government was disintegrated because several government departments performed roles that should be encapsulated under one entity. He therefore implored public employees to open up channels of communication with customers in the interest of efficient service delivery.
Chobe MP, Mr Simasiku Mapulanga said community beneficiation should be expanded through a trading system where Chobe through its CBOs would partner with investors and developers to build infrastructure and be paid through hunting quotas.
Mr Mapulanga said tourism sector employees were paid low wages yet the industry generated huge dividends for shareholders. He noted that the state of Kasane Hospital with limited bed capacity disadvantaged the region when it came to investment opportunities.
Kgosi Rebecca Banika of Pandamatenga expressed despair over the fact that Chobe had CBOs that had been operating for over 30 years yet there were no sustainable projects carried out through community trusts. She stated that in neighbouring countries like Namibia and Zimbabwe, CBOs build schools, clinics and roads in their local communities to relief pressure on government and create better livelihoods for their people.
Kasane South Councilor Boitumelo Kanyetu said lack of recreational facilities for entertainment disadvantaged the region as tourists visited Chobe National Park during the day and spent nights in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and Livingstone Zambia.
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