Africa-Press – Botswana. The acting Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Dr Edwin Dikoloti says the National Food Technology and Research Center (NFTRC) has not fully integrated into National Agricultural Research and Development Institute (NARDI).
Answering a question from Tswapong South MP, Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang yesterday, he said this was due to some pending legal issues with some employees who had not transitioned to NARDI. Dr Dikoloti said it was for that reason that the ministry was compelled to appoint the caretaker of NFTRC to coordinate the activities until its closure. He said the assets from NFTRC had not been fully transferred to NARDI, however it was occupying the premises and fully utilising the assets.
Dr Dikoloti said he was aware that since 2022, there were three NFTRC researchers, who were offered appointments by NARDI but did not accept the offers. The acting minister said there were transitional challenges experienced in merging the two entities but his office was currently employing relevant measures to ensure that the process was concluded in a fair, just and amicable manner.
Dr Gobotswang had asked whether NFTRC had been fully integrated into NARDI and explain why it continued to have a caretaker and if assets from NFTRC were fully transferred to NARDI. He also wanted to know if he is aware that since 2022, there were researchers from NFTRC who continued to be paid salaries even though they remained at home and what was being done to remedy the situation at NARDI.
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