Botswana Patriotic Front youth league (BPFYL) has called on President Mokgweetsi Masisi to indicate how his government intends to protect the available jobs post the State of Public Emergency (SOE).
BPFYL Publicity Secretary Amogelang Mokwena said there are fears that more people are bound to lose their jobs once the SOE lapses this month, adding that protection of jobs should be key in the exit plan.
“President Mokgweetsi Masisi should come out and tell Batswana how his government is going to protect the available jobs and also to state how small businesses that lost their earnings as a result of Covid-19 are going to be assisted,” said Mokwena.
He also said Masisi should come out to account to the public.
“There are so many issues including how some of the tenders were awarded, that is why we demand that Masisi should come out and tell the public how many tenders were given to locals and how many were given to the youth,” added Mokwena.
He further said it is vital for government to look into how other countries which implemented SOE during covid-19 were able to put together an economic recovery plan.
“So many people lost their jobs and it will only be right for government to come up with a financial package to assist them unless now we want a growing number of destituteS,” said Mokwena.
Mokwena highlighted that all sectors should be attended to including the creative industry which took a major blow during the outbreak of the virus.
He said they will afford President an opportunity to address the public on how people will be assisted before taking any available course of action.
“We all know that government did not create covid-19 but that should not their hiding place because what now needs to happen is to see livelihoods back, people being able to put food on their tables. We have always had a problem with this government because they often make promises which they never implement,” said Mokwena.
Last week, Minister of Employment, labour productivity and skills development Mpho Balopi said over 200 people were retrenched from work during the State of Public Emergency which was imposed in April last year as a measure to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the country.
He said a total of 204 workers were retrenched by 20 companies between April last year and July this year.
