WUC employees sabotaging BDP � Moswaane
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Thursday March 3, 2016 18:00
Contributing to the debate on the consolidated and development funds estimates 2016/17 committee of supply for MMEWR on Tuesday, Moswaane said that it is surprising that with the abundant water in the north of the country and Ntimbale dam flooded, Francistown residents are affected by water shortage.
“People are not committed to serve this country. The way I see it, this is a self-made problem. It is ‘BDP must fall’ campaign. Minister, this is a situation you should monitor. WUC employees could be sabotaging the BDP,” he said.
He called on the government to allocate more funds towards water infrastructure, adding that the problem needs all Batswana including politicians, to cooperate to defeat the situation. He challenged government to consider other ways to use underground water as the country is hit by water shortage.
Even though he supported the ministry’s budget proposal, Moswaane said that the ministry needs more funding.
Ramotswa MP Samuel Rantuana said that his area is one of the most affected by water shortage despite having a lot of underground water. He said that people in Magope have been allocated plots and developed them, but have gone for some months without water in the area. He said that some well fields that fed Greater Gaborone before the construction of the North-South Carrier (NSC) pipeline have been abandoned. He said if resurrected and managed well they could provide an alternative source of water.
“They were forgotten and now they have been vandalised. Government will have to spend a lot of money to resuscitate them. There is too much underground water in Ramotswa hence they can be an alternative,” he said.
Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi said that government has committed a lot of money towards water infrastructure over the years as guided by the Water Master Plan of 1992. Masisi who is also MP for Moshopa-Manyana said that many dams have been built over the years but rain has been scarce. He said that the NSC is a big project to bring water to the southern part of the country. He acknowledged that there are challenges but government is committed to provide water to citizens, as it is essential. He said that when there is a problem people should not rush to stage protests but advice accordingly.
Meanwhile, Mokaila has proposed to be allocated approximately P3,8billion representing a decrease of P980,641,795 from the previous financial year. He stated that of the proposed budget P374, 312, 820 is for recurrent while P3,425,508 is for development budget.