BCL closure dents economic growth
Friday, October 06, 2017
The BCL and Tati mines were closed in October last year, and there has been no copper nor nickel production in the country since then. Figures released by Statistics Botswana show that apart from the mining and manufacturing sectors, all other economic sectors recorded positive growth in the period.
“Most sectors reported growth of more than 1.2%, with the exception of the mining and manufacturing industries; which recorded -13.8% and -0.2% respectively. The slow-down in the mining sector is primarily attributed to the closure of copper/nickel mines towards the end of 2016, however diamond production increased by 12.9% over second quarter of 2017,” said Statistics Botswana.
The recent Vaccination Day in Motokwe, orchestrated through collaborative efforts between UNICEF, USAID, BRCS, and the Ministry of Health, underscores a commendable stride towards fortifying child health services.The painful reality as reflected by the Ministry of Health's data regarding the decline in routine immunisation coverage since the onset of the pandemic, is a cause for concern.It underscores the urgent need to address the...