Boko's prophesy fulfilled
President Duma Boko drew public attention last year when he “prophesied” that several struggling state-owned enterprises, including the Botswana Meat Commission, Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board, Air Botswana and Botswana Railways, would return to profitability by the end of the year.
Boko has now revealed that the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) has recorded profits for the first time in five years. He also said the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB) has managed to settle all outstanding payments owed to farmers.
According to Boko, BAMB previously owed farmers more than P500 million, but those arrears have now been cleared.
He explained that the delayed payments had previously disadvantaged farmers. Retailers, aware that BAMB, which buys produce at market rates, was slow to pay farmers and carried large debts, would take advantage of the situation by purchasing produce from farmers at prices below the market rate.
As a result, farmers often had little choice but to sell their produce cheaply to make ends meet, leaving them with little or no profit.
Boko revealed that the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) is developing a farmers’ market that will purchase produce directly from farmers and distribute it to institutions such as schools and hospitals.
He said his government is not focused on simply introducing programmes, but rather on building sustainable systems that will benefit the people of Botswana.
“We are diversifying,” Boko said, adding that the country is now undertaking reforms that could have been implemented as far back as the 1980s but were never pursued.
He said Botswana is now being forced to diversify its economy under the pressure of economic challenges, adding that government leaders should contribute positively to this national effort rather than pull in different directions.
Boko also urged leaders within the Botswana National Front (BNF) to focus their energies on identifying new sources of revenue, which he described as the biggest challenge facing the current administration.
He added that by addressing these challenges, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) government would be able to retain state power, as its main objective is to deliver meaningful change and improve the lives of Batswana.
According to Boko, delivering on these promises is what will keep the public on the government’s side.