Africa-Press – Botswana. Botswana Prison Service on Friday received 14 housing units intended to address acute shortage of accommodation for prison officers.
The housing units procured from Mowana Construction, a citizen owned company at a total cost of P15.9 million are located at Broadhurst in Gaborone.
“This is yet another initiative aimed at enhancing staff welfare,” Minister of Defence and Security Mr Kagiso Mmusi said when handing over the houses.
He added that the handing over was a continuation of what was started two years back, an initiative that begun with refurbishment of 20 housing units in Gaborone for prison officers at Prison Camp and procurement of 61 units from Botswana Housing Corporation.
Mr Mmusi said the procurement demonstrated commitment to ensuring that service personnel were provided with modern, secure and functional living spaces.
“I am fully aware of the shortage of accommodation amongst other constraints that negatively affect your daily operations,” he said.
He further said in the next financial year, resources had been allocated for staff house provision.
He said remote areas such as Boro, Bainesdrift and Tshane would receive new housing units delivered through the Development Manager Model.
Minister Mmusi said the fourteen house units also reinforced the national Reset Agenda priority number four of value chain development and priority five of the mindset change, which call for development of capacity for entrepreneurship and implementation of strategic reforms that put citizen economic inclusion at the centre of economic development initiatives.
Botswana Prison Service Commissioner, Ms Dinah Marathe said shortage of accommodation was one of the biggest challenges for the prison staff.
Hence, she said the acquisition of the housing units would go a long way towards easing congestion in residential units.
“The houses will contribute to the upliftment of morale and dignity of officers, who will be occupying them,” Ms Marathe said.
Further, she said the fourteen units demonstrated commitment to improving conditions of service for officers.
She said it was government’s policy that all prison officers should be provided with institutional houses as a way of motivation and value add to staff welfare, which would consequently enhance their performance at work.
Ms Marathe said in an effort to provide decent accommodation for officers, the Prison Service had procured a number of houses in Gaborone, Serowe, Machaneng, Mahalapye and Francistown, as well as construction of housing units at various stations such as Francistown, Mahalapye, Bainesdrift, Kanye, Gaborone, Letlhakane, Mochudi, Maun and Boro.
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