Mmegi

BoB releases P2bn to banks as govt cash crunch spills over

Taking action: Dekop PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG
Taking action: Dekop PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG

The Bank of Botswana is allowing local banks access to about P2 billion of their own cash held in reserve, to alleviate a liquidity crisis caused by the sharp drop in cash inflows from the banks’ biggest customers – the government and Debswana.

From December 11, the Primary Reserve Ratio or PRR, which is a proportion of deposits banks are required to keep at the BoB in order to manage liquidity or cash flows, will be reduced from a rate of 2.5% to zero.

The move will allow banks to have access to an additional P2.1 billion for lending activities, as a liquidity crunch first noted as far back as May, deepens.

Editor's Comment
A promising step for public schools, but...

For too long, the state of many public schools has been a source of shame. We have all seen the pictures and heard the stories of broken windows, unreliable water and electricity, topped by classrooms that are not fit for proper learning. The establishment of the Education Infrastructure and Management Company Ltd (EIMC) signals that authorities are finally ready to take this problem seriously. We must commend the government for this initiative....

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