Local gov't moves to empower locals

Pini Bothoko | Monday May 30, 2022 09:07

The ministry’s permanent secretary, Molefi Keaja revealed this when addressing the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Friday.

He stated that the ministry has decided to move toward a fully-fledged homegrown school feeding programme in which they are going to link Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with smallholder farmers to the school feeding programme.

He said plans are in place to empower more local people to participate in the economic development of their areas by supplying schools with food.

Keaja stated that the move will ensure market access to the supply of agricultural produce to primary schools to grow local economies and create job opportunities.

“People would be able to supply government using purchasing power of the budget we have as the ministry. We already have the menu that our supplies should take advantage of and supply schools with such foods,” he said.

Keaja added they were working with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to establish and determine the feasibility of adopting a flagship supply development programme to support school feeding schemes.

Moreover, Keaja said they will also be moving towards the promotion of rural industries which will offer potential in terms of advancing the rural development agenda and ultimately improving the livelihoods of Batswana in rural areas.

He stated that they currently have small scale products like Morula products in Tswapong and North-West areas which have the potential to empower and create jobs for locals. He added that the country is currently faced with high prices of cooking oil hence the need to take advantage of such a small scale and produce what is in demand.

In their comments, PAC members stated that districts across the country have something unique for their area that they could use to empower and create job opportunities for the local people but require the ministry’s financial support to open such industries.

PAC member and also Nata-Gweta Member of Parliament (MP), Polson Majaga said the plan to empower the locals with a school feeding programme is a good idea but the ministry should ensure that suppliers are paid well on time.

“There has been a concern that council takes a longer period to pay suppliers, how are you going to ensure that this initiative empowers Batswana instead of contributing towards destroying their businesses. All districts need local industries because they only depend on Ipelegeng. Nata-Gweta area has rich grass and fish that could be used to empower the local economy,” Majaga said.

Sharing the same sentiments, another PAC member and also MP for Serowe South, Leepetswe Lesedi applauded the ministry’s school feeding programme raising similar concerns about the ministry being faced with late payments of suppliers.

“Currently suppliers are complaining about late payments, I wonder if they would be empowered or you will be collapsing their businesses. It is a good initiative, but it should be monitored to make sure that there is cash flow,” Lesedi said.

Responding to members’ concerns, Keaja conceded that he was aware of the delays stating that it is important suppliers can only grow when they are paid on time so that they can have good cash flow.

“I promise to follow the matter for the empowerment of the locals. Purchase of the school feeding programme will be done at district levels because primary school heads are not keen on handling large sums of money,” Keaja said.