Government will, in pursuit of job creation and placing Botswana on global competitiveness, boost the private sector as the key driver in growth by increasing quality investment infrastructure by providing serviced land and utilities.
The Vice President, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi said this in Parliament on December 9 when responding to Members of Parliament’s debates.
Mr Masisi, also Leader of the House, said in the economic development strategy employed, government focused on the comparative aantage of different development nodes in Botswana.
As such, Mr Masisi said government promoted and focused support for some sectors in the regions which included tourism and construction in ChobeKasane, agro business in Pandamatenga, tourism and mining in MaunOkavangoMakgadikgadi, cattle industry in Gantsi and small stock industry and tourism in Kgalagadi as well as grain production and diamond centre in Good Hope and Gaborone respectively.
Others sectors include energy and agro business in Palapye, industrial tourism and mining in Selebi-Phikwe and service industry, mining and tourism in Francistown, he added. Such initiatives, Mr Masisi said would benefit the small business person and the informal sector adding the resultant job creation would also lift the economic status of women and reduce youth unemployment.
“This would result in a more productive economy, leading to improved livelihoods and increased economic growth,” he said.Ripple effects of such initiatives, he said would also ensure a g, balanced and sustainable growth as well as a more robust and resilient economy for all Batswana.
Mr Masisi further indicated that government was also committed to youth development. “Their demography comprises 46.5 per cent of our population, a significant portion and we will intensify our engagement with them in continuing to identifying leverage areas.
Their skills, talents and strengths will be managed in a systematic manner from all levels of education to the workplace,” he said.Focus, the Vice President added, would be on entrepreneurship, creative and performing arts as well as professionalism or productivity.
Mr Masisi told Parliament that for all such programmes to be successful, government would ensure participation of all stakeholders which include mostly the private sector, civic community and NGOs, community members, young people, public servants and MPs.
He also indicated that coordination of all such efforts was necessary to ensure there were no gaps, duplication and wastage.
“I will take full aantage of my portfolio responsibility as chairperson of the Rural Development Council to ensure that there is harmony in delivery of the various economic development and social welfare protection policies and programmes,” he said.
He added that he would also ensure provision of basic services and infrastructure to support agricultural development, support and protect indigenous knowledge systems which include plants, food, medicine, decorations, heritage sites, songs, poems and dance, to benefit communities and entrepreneurship development.
He indicated that the Rural Development Council would facilitate appropriate targeting and mentoring of able-bodied social welfare protection beneficiaries to engage in income generating activities.
Meanwhile, Mr Masisi applauded President Lt. General Seretse Khama Ian Khama for what he termed a comprehensive SONA and notable policies and programmes that had sustained Botswana as a middle income economy.
He therefore assured the National Assembly and the nation that government would be relentless in its efforts to ensure that the administration worked for the people saying all Batswana and residents willing to work hard would be enabled to become what they wanted to become.
“We will in the next five years run a government that is a beacon of hope for all our people. I call upon all of you in opposition to be constructive as we serve our people. We are in the business of letting people dream and helping them make their dreams a reality,” he said.
Mr Masisi also thanked the Speaker of the National Assembly for substantive deliberations, thus hopeful that members would work in unison to deliver the promises made to Batswana.
Source : Parliament
Source : Botswana Daily News