Draft NDP12 due by Oct
Thursday, February 22, 2024 | 2930 Views |
Hands on deck: Molomo (left) expects a draft of the NDP 12 to be complete by October PIC: NPC FACEBOOK
This draft will outline national priorities and projects to be funded from 2025 to 2030. Multi-year NDPs have traditionally provided the policy framework and national priorities guiding annual budget spending since Independence. The current two-year Transitional NDP, with an initially approved P64 billion funding plan, is set to conclude on March 31 next year.
NPC Commissioner General Batho Molomo informed journalists on Monday that eight priority sectors had provisionally been identified for NDP12. These sectors, which will have separate strategies developed for them, include agriculture, mining, tourism, sports and creative industries, financial, real estate, and business services amongst others. The October 31 deadline is aimed at ensuring alignment between the planning cycle and the electoral cycle, with general elections scheduled for October. Molomo said producing a draft NDP by the end of October allows the winning administration to fine-tune the plan based on its preferences and priorities.
As the Botswana National Front (BNF) discusses a policy to place suitably qualified members in strategic positions, the guiding consideration should remain whether an individual is the best person to serve the country. There is nothing wrong with qualified party members applying for public positions. Political affiliation should neither disqualify a capable candidate nor give them an advantage over others. Every Motswana deserves a fair...