Africa-Press – Botswana. Active public participation in projects will not only ensure that they are aligned with community needs and values, but will promote transparency and foster a sense of ownership.
Speaking during a meeting with Ghanzi farmers concerning the refurbishment of Ghanzi Police Station and staff houses, Minister for State President, Mr Moeti Mohwasa said government was faced with financial challenges due to the downward economic prospects and the accompanying decline in the performance of the diamond industry.
The combined effect of the factors, he said, had seen government continue to experience difficulty in taking care of some dilapidated facilities albeit them rendering essential services.
As a result, he said government had moved to mobilise closer cooperation between communities and Botswana Police Service (BPS) to help restore the institution’s dignity.
Therefore, he pleaded with farmers to play an active role in supporting government by investing in facilities development through initiatives such as Adopt-A-Police Station.
He said their pledges would go a long way in boosting morale within the BPS.
He added that through public participation, government would be able to expand police stations across the country to manage the increasing crime rates.
Moreover, he called for psychological support services to be rendered to members of the BPS whom he said experienced traumatic incidents while executing their day-to-day duties.
On other issues, he cautioned farmers about the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in South Africa and implored them to collaborate with government and other stakeholders to ensure compliance at all points of entry so as to safeguard the meat industry. Giving an update on the Adopt-A-Police Station initiative, Deputy Commissioner of Police for Support Services, Mr Solomon Mantswe said since the inception of the initiative in July 2024, 45 companies had pledged support and adopted 70 facilities, 63 police stations, four police posts and three other police establishments
He said due to the bad economic situation, they adopted partnerships with the business community as a way of ensuring continuity of services.
He highlighted that BPS was challenged with deplorable facilities countrywide.
He said Ghanzi was amongst the large villages earmarked for the construction of a second police station during National Development Plan 9 but that the project was deferred due to the ongoing economic downturn.
However, Mr Mantswe said so far 12 project works had since been completed, while four were still ongoing and the remaining were still at commencement stage.In her welcome remarks, Kgosi Annah Rankho applauded government for promoting public participation in community and national projects, a move that she said would help in the achievement of sustainable developments.
Conversely, she called on government to reduce red tape by implementing flexible laws, policies and regulations that would improve efficiency in all economic sectors.
She also called for teamwork amongst all stakeholders to ensure quality works that would benefit all affected communities and in the long run contribute to the country’s socio-economic growth. For his part, Ghanzi District Council chairperson, Mr Thabiso Kebadile pledged P10 000 for the Ghanzi Police Station renovation and implored the affected communities to pledge their support in cash and in kind to ensure that the project becomes a success.
He stated that the time is now, for local communities to revive the spirit self-reliance and extend a helping hand to government during the current trying times.
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