While contents of the budget briefcase of the Finance Minister Kenneth Matambo remained known to him and a few technocrats at government enclave by Sunday night, SUNDAY STANDARD’s VICTOR BAATWENG skims through previous budgets which tells of a story about a song written by government that is refusing to sell.
2017: It is important to clarify that the principal role of the Government is not to create jobs directly, but to provide a conducive macroeconomic environment to facilitate the development of the private sector.
2016: Government has resolved to, among others, use its spending power to boost economic growth and create jobs in the country.
2015: The current unemployment rate of 19.8 percent therefore represents underutilisation of one of the country’s important resource, namely our human capital. This is a challenge for the country, especially that it affects the youth. It is for this reason that Government will continue to implement various programmes, projects and strategies geared towards assisting the youth and women to improve their livelihood.
2014: The recent positive growth rates in some non-mining sectors are welcome developments as they reflect some success in our economic diversification efforts. Moreover, these non-mining sectors have greater potential for employment creation. Government will thus, continue to devise strategies to promote inclusive growth in the non-mining sectors of; Financial and Business Services, Construction, Agriculture, Tourism, and Manufacturing.
2013: Efforts will be continued to ensure that the economy generates job opportunities for those seeking employment by according priority to those projects with high job creation potential and ability to stimulate economic growth. Diversification of the tourism industry also provides opportunities for employment creation.
2012: Let me reiterate the vision stated by His Excellency the President, in his State of the Nation Address in November 2011 that Government is committed to growing the economy and expanding job opportunities.
2011: Government is particularly concerned with the issue of graduate employability, caused largely by a mismatch between what our education system provides and what the labour market requires. As a way of addressing this, institutions such as the University of Botswana are taking measures to diversify their academic programmes as well as develop programmes that will equip learners with the requisite skills.
2010: In an effort to create temporary employment on a rotational basis and to enhance Batswana’s participation in economic development, Government introduced the Ipelegeng Programme in July 2008. This is a long term programme targeting people with no or limited sources of income
2009: Government will promote the informal sector as another avenue to create additional jobs.
2008: Implementation of major planned private and public sector projects, such as the Mmamabula Energy Project, North-South Carrier II Pipeline Project, Morupule B Power Station Project, Zambezi Integrated Agro-Commercial Development Project, tourism development and the construction of major dams, will provide a platform for significant growth and additional employment creation during NDP 10.
2007: Government will continue to implement policies and projects designed to increase productive employment.
