- Singles out ailing BMC, BAMB, BR & Air Botswana
- Orders BMC, BAMB to pay farmers within five days
- MPs call for sacking of CEOs appointed by BDP govt
BAKANG TIRO
President Duma Boko has sent a strong warning to Executives in some underperforming State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) who are plunging service delivery into chaos while they continue to bleed government coffers through annual subventions.
Addressing kgotla meetings in Ramotswa and Tlokweng on Tuesday, Boko said there will be no longer business as usual as his government is embarking on a robust transformation process. According to Boko, four parastatals are currently underperforming being Air Botswana, Botswana Meat Commission (BMC), Botswana Railways (BR) and the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB).
“We are bringing about transformative changes as the new government. Things are not going to remain the same. I declare and I decree that it is no longer business as usual in government,” he warned.
Amidst Boko’s launch for transformation and improved service delivery push, MPs of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) believes that transformation should include removal of SOEs leadership.
There have been repeated calls by the UDC to bringing changes across government departments by replacing some of leadership who served under the past Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) regime. One UDC MP said: “It’s not making sense when we speak about transformation while the same people who are leading the organisations that president spoke of are still in charge. Real change will come if new brains are brought in. Majority of leaders in SOEs are BDP political appointees and we know that.”
Air Botswana
Boko said the Office of the President (OP) has engaged experts from abroad to review the Air Botswana operations or model. He said he interviewed some of the people who want to become part of Air Botswana Board, adding that shows how serious he is about transforming the national airline into one of Africa’s best airlines.
“The consultants have told us that they are wondering why Air Botswana is not doing well in terms of profits and service delivery. They said we are strategically positioned because we are in the center. If people want to go to South, East, West or North can transit through Botswana,” said optimistic Boko.
He said the experts have promised to revive Air Botswana which will be affordable and attractive to the world, adding that the framework to rebuild Air Botswana is under process.
BMC
Boko said BMC transformation is taking shape noting that the meat commission would be soon export canned beef stew to the newly identified market, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) worth $4 million dollars or P400 million.
According to Boko, the deal has been signed indicating that government is pursuing some other lucrative new markets. “BMC will also be expected to pay farmers within five days and we are determined to ensure that our farmers get value for their cattle. I declare and I decree,” said Boko to the ululations of the public.
Farmers across the country have been always at loggerheads over unsettled payments with the BMC debt to farmers at some point was at over P40 million.
Railways
He said Botswana Railways (BR) is the worst underperforming SOE because it is technically not existing of functioning. Boko indicated that BR will be remodeled in way that would reduce traffic congestion particularly that involves of big cargo trucks, stating that they are bad for the roads because of the heavy staff they carry.
BAMB
Meanwhile, he said BAMB is owing farmers close to P40 million and have since ordered that the agricultural marketing board should clear off the debt by the end of the year.
Boko reiterated that just like BMC, BAMB is expected to pay farmers who supply it with their crop produce within five working days upon delivery of products. In addition, Boko said the problems of entrepreneurs in Botswana are lack of access to funding and market buttressing that he is committed to ensure that those becomes the thing of the past under UDC administration.