Disappointment as Francistown gets P116 million for 2011/12

While the budget speech itself is set for February, the Mayor of Francistown, Shadreck Nyeku has confirmed that the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning has reduced the city's revenue support grant for the financial year 2011/12 to P116million as opposed to P143,528 million that the city's civic leaders had estimated would go a long way in addressing the city's development efforts.

Nyeku said the P143,528,580 was an estimate, for not just the city's development projects but salaries of the council employees and other expenses. Infact they wanted more than this amount said Nyeku. While Nyeku said he understands the reasons for reducing their budget to P116million as the country is still going through a recession, he expressed regret that development projects are either going to be suspended or abandoned altogether.