Billy brands welfare projects �wasteful�
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Wednesday August 30, 2017 17:32
According to Billy, a majority of poverty eradication projects have collapsed.
The former mayor of Francistown, echoed views often shared by opposition parties when they hypothetically evaluate poverty eradication initiatives.
“We are pouring a lot of millions into the poverty eradications schemes, but they are failing to produce results. Through the committee, we want to establish why the projects are failing and put remedial measures,” he said during a consultative meeting held by his committee here this week.
Billy indicated that most of the beneficiaries lack basic management that can help to effectively run the projects, which is why a majority of the projects are failing.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Okavango, Bagalatia Arone shared the same sentiments as Billy.
Chairperson of Donga Ward Development Committee (WDC), Odirele Ngende also said that poverty eradication projects are a total failure and waste of money, hence there is need for the government scheme to be revised.
He said poverty eradication initiatives are running at a loss as more people are given projects, but are not capacitated with the necessary skills to effectively run them.
Social and Community Development Officer, Ogoditsemang Seleme also noted that a majority of poverty eradication schemes beneficiaries are not doing well.
Seleme said that to date they have funded 527 people with money amounting to P10 million.
He said a majority of the projects are not doing well because of ill-health (of project owners), mismanagement, lack of operational space and a poor market (support).
He said in some cases, projects are collapsing because of lack of commitment from beneficiaries.
Seleme further noted that some of the beneficiaries leave the projects because they want quick cash to generate income.
He said they end up abandoning their projects to venture into temporary employment (such as working in retail shops).