The Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Peter Siele, has indicated that corruption and other malpractices in the Francistown Immigration Office was becoming a major concern.
Siele, who was addressing a recent meeting in Francistown, indicated that despite the ministry trying to root out corruption and other malpractices in the immigration departments, the Francistown Immigration office continued to indulge in corruption scandals.
Siele implored public employees to deviate from corruption practices as it costs the government and tax payer’s money.
“As public employees, you are servants of the nation,” said Siele.
He stated that the Francistown Immigration office was becoming a concern because he receives queries and complaints from the public about its poor service and malpractices.
Siele added that despite the efforts by his ministry to deliver services to the public, there were still other public employees who continued to tarnish the image of his ministry.
“Currently the ministry has improved when it comes to service delivery but corruption is still rampart,” he said, adding that, with such improvement among other ministries, it was disappointing that some public employees under his ministry continued to tarnish the image of the ministry. He highlighted that with the Francistown Immigration office becoming a concern, he is going to reshuffle the employees as a strategy of eradicating all its malpractices.
“I believe that employees who are corrupt and incompetent should be dismissed,” said Siele.
Siele emphasized that corruption was a disease that needs to be healed as it has ruined some of the world’s economies. He also pleaded with the public employees to discipline themselves as they were employed to serve the nation
However, the District Commissioner of Francistown, Richard Oaitse, who was also at the event, pleaded with the ministries to provide public employees with accommodation.
“The government is building houses for employees, but the houses are not enough,” remarked Oaitse.
Oaitse indicated that Francistown city was growing rapidly and therefore there was insufficient accommodation for public employees.
