Poor project management slows down economy - report

KEIKANTSE LESEMELA
Correspondent | Thursday July 25, 2013 00:00

 

In a second quarter economic commentary, Econsult researchers, Keith Jefferis and Thabelo Nemaoran say that it is essential that proper attention be devoted to proper planning, selection, design and management of public sector investment projects.

'Maybe this means doing fewer projects but doing them better. It certainly means developing improved capacity within government and parastatals to plan and manage projects, if not it is certain that future growth will be hindered and Botswana's reputation for good governance and management will be in jeopardy,' states the report.

The report says the ongoing power and water shortages are indicative of a deeper problem of poor planning and project management in the public sector. While Morupule B may be the most extreme example, there are many other major projects that have been started late, completed late or not at all, been badly designed, have gone over budget, or not delivered the benefits or services that had been anticipated, the report says.

Jefferis and Nemaoran say although the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) has given assurances that supplies will be restored to normal by the end of July with the full commissioning of the new Morupule B power station, actions speak louder than words. The report further observes that while Botswana has bought access to new undersea telecommunications cable links to the rest of the world, Internet access remains expensive, slow and unreliable, way below international standards.

'The long and the short of it is that public money is being wasted, and the nation is being deprived of essential infrastructure, which is in turn holding back development,' the researchers write.