New Entrepreneurship Ministry kicks off with P1bn
Friday, February 10, 2023 | 2540 Views |
Minister of Entrepreneurship Gare PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG
The bulk of the Ministry’s budget, or about 51 percent, will be taken up by support to the Local Enterprise Authority, the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency and the Out of School youth programmes, which have been moved from other ministries.
The Botswana Meat Commission and the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board have also relocated to the new ministry, but their allocations are yet to appear on the draft estimates.
Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...