Africa-Press – Botswana. MPs have requested the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure to urgently apprise them of the recent dissolution of both Air Botswana and Botswana Railways board of directors.
Debating the Transport and Infrastructure chapter in the draft National Development Plan 12 (NDP 12), Selebi Phikwe East MP, Mr Kgoberego Nkawana decried that the frequent dissolution of the two boards was a worrying factor, which impacted service delivery at the two State Owned Enterprises (SOEs).
“It is disappointing that the minister has since his appointment dissolved the boards of the two SOEs more than once in a space of 12 months and yet Parliament is kept in the dark as to the reasons behind any of the dissolutions,” decried Mr Nkawana.
Cognisant of the fact that the appointment of the board members reflected government’s commitment to ensuring that Air Botswana was well positioned to deliver on its mandate, Mr Nkawana likewise called on the minister for transparency in the appointment process.
He also expressed disappointment on the exclusion from the NDP 12 of the proposed development and construction of an international cargo and passenger airport and a state-of-the-art industrial plus township in the Selebi Phikwe area.
The project, he said sought to develop a state-of-the-art air cargo and passenger aviation hubs that do not only address the current logistical challenges in the region but also significantly contributed to the economic development of Botswana and the SADC.
Similarly, with a strong focus on governance, accountability and transparency regarding board members appointments, Tonota MP, Mr Gaefele Sedombo pleaded with the minister to exercise transparency through gazetting an expression of interest when appointing the board.
Maun East MP, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile commended government for the projected expansion of the Maun Airport, citing that the new airport infrastructure should nonetheless match its status as the second busiest airport in the region.
He said it was also important for government to promptly process the compensations payments for residents who were relocated, giving way for the expansion of the airport.
Responding the MP’s, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Mr Noah Salakae highlighted that the national airline had not been performing well, affecting its financial situation, hence the need to appoint a new board of directors with a clear instruction to provide a turnaround strategy.
He said the board’s collective expertise was instrumental in supporting competitive strategic objectives of the airline, overseeing their implementation and navigating the dynamic avenues of the aviation industry.
Mr Salakae stated that out of the four international airports, Maun was the most active, accounting for 67 percent of all aircraft movements in 2023. The airport, he said has been showing significant improvements in aircraft and passenger movement over the years.
“As part of our objective of unlocking the high value export economy and establishing a regional logistics hub, the airport has been identified as a critical gateway to enhancing global connectivity across continents, further increasing traffic into Botswana,” he said.
He said they were finalising the feasibility study, which would guide implementation of the airport development project and also indicated that the development of the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport into a multi-modal air cargo and logistics hub was also on the cards, adding that the cargo facility will be upgraded to enhance Botswana’s appeal as an international distribution hub through enabling local logistics firms and exporters to scale their operations and compete on a global level.
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