Mmegi editorial speculative

Correspondent | Wednesday March 22, 2017 15:05

Given that Government is working on the Guidelines for the Constituency Community Projects (CCP) programme, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), being the custodians of the Programme, wishes to dismiss the article as speculative as it contains unsubstantiated, misleading information.

For the record, the Programme is intended to promote community empowerment by assisting citizens to take the lead in initiating and deciding solutions for their challenges.

It also seeks to stimulate economic growth at local level throughout the country. 

This will be achieved largely through delivery of projects, with emphasis on small infrastructure projects that the community desire, but not budgeted for in the National Development Plan or District Development Plan.

This approach is rooted on communities steering developments in their localities through popular participation in order to strengthen ownership.

Without getting much into the debate about this matter, the inescapable fact is that, in principle, initiatives such as this one serve to empower our communities and localities as they bring in social reforms, which are critical to any nation’s development trajectory.

Developments in our economy suggest that it is now at a point where it can achieve sustained expansion that can bring significant improvement in the lives of Batswana through concerted efforts of Batswana on the ground.

In essence, without greater inclusion, our nation is unlikely to grow in a sustained way.

It will become increasingly difficult to raise economic growth without a larger share of the population participating in that process.

There must be equality of opportunity for all and this can only be ensured by empowerment and participation of our communities.

As the Ministry, we wish to invite our key stakeholders, including the media to engage in constructive discourse about people’s issues.

We all need to work together in order to create a nation that the wider community can look up to. We need to appreciate that our communities, if fully resourced and empowered could improve their lives. 

It is never too late to set the perceptions right. 

*Masego Ramakgathi serves under Botswana Government Communications and Information Systems (BGCIS) as spokesperson for the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development