The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Environment Wildlife and Tourism Mr Elias Magosi has acknowledged that the ministry officials have not been maintaining visibility in the villages.
Speaking before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Mr Magosi said it was true that his ministry was not visible in some areas because of limited resources.
Member of the PAC Mr Ignatius Moswaane had complained that people lived in constant fear because of wild animals that terrorised them and were not able to kill them, but the ministry representative were not available to answer to their queries, concerns through kgotla meetings.
Mr Moswaane also raised concerns regarding the fish ban.
He said fishing remained a key resource for the rural communities on the fringes of the Okavango Delta.
He therefore said the ban disadvantaged a lot of people as the community survived through it.
Mr Moswaane said it was even strange and looked like the government was punishing the people who survived through fish saying residents from Nambia were reaping the benefits of the fishing activities more than the locals.
In responding, Mr Magosi acknowledged that his ministry had not been able to hold enough kgotla meetings to address Batswana concerns.
He said they would step up to hold kgotla meetings.
Regarding compensation for farmers whose livestock was killed by wild animals, Mr Magosi stated that they had a baglog saying they had managed to pay a few, adding that most people had not been covered.
He said the problem had been budget constraints.
On issues of the ban, Mr Magosi said pollution around the lake could not be ignored as that could could have rippling effects.
Source: Botswana Daily News