Jwaneng — Minister for State President, Defence and Security, Mr Moeti Mohwasa has called on the private sector to collaborate with the government in its development agenda.
He made the appeal recently when touring Jwaneng police station, which is getting a facelift through the Ikageng Public Works Programme, in collaboration with Dulux Botswana and Jwaneng Technical College.
He said owing to budgetary constraints, the government could not manage to drive service delivery alone, hence the need for private businesses to play a role.
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He applauded Dulux Botswana and other stakeholders who were committed to investing in community development and corporate social responsibility.
“We applaud Dulux Botswana and other companies who are playing their part, we are grateful for this gesture and we urge others in the private sector to emulate them and give back to the communities they operate within. The government cannot manage all these on its own, particularly in the midst of the current economic challenges,” he noted.
Mr Mohwasa noted that the Botswana Police Service was an integral part of society and therefore there was need to provide a conducive working environment and accommodation for the officers to enhance service delivery.
He also said such projects undertaken under the Ikageng programme were testament to the government’s commitment to improving the lives of the people.
Explaining the scope of the project, Jwaneng District Commissioner, Mr Goleba Kgari said painting the police station was the first project to be done through the Ikageng programme, which kick-started two months ago in Jwaneng district.
He said it marked the beginning of other community development initiatives intended to also up skill members of communities.
Notwithstanding, Mr Kgari acknowledged that the programme experienced teething challenges.
“We started Ikageng programme two months ago, and as expected we experienced some challenges in the beginning. Currently, most people who were adopted from the Ipelegeng programme are either semi-skilled or have no skills, so the overall objective of the programme is to equip beneficiaries with skills which could develop their lives within the wider market,” he noted.
He further noted that other projects were on the pipeline, and that plans to construct a holding cell at the police station were at an advanced stage.
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Kgosi Segale Letshele of Jwana Customary Court said improving the aesthetic of the police station would go a long way in improving service delivery at the police station.
“We are thankful to Dulux Botswana for this gesture, Jwaneng as a diamond town should be sparkling and painting the police station will enhance our image. We expect police officers to perform optimally but they need a conducive working environment for that,” he noted.
He also appreciated that the Ikageng programme would bridge the skills gap and contribute towards addressing unemployment, which is currently a concern among the youth.
BOPA
