allAfrica.com: Botswana: 'A Road to Maputo to Unleash Phikwe's Potential' (Page 1 of 1)

Botswana National Front (BNF) spokesman Moeti Mohwasa believes this mining town must be turned into an Export Processing Zone (EPZ) if its economic fortunes should be turned around.

Mohwasa says Selebi-Phikwe, whose economy is heavily dependent on mining, offers abundant opportunities for economic growth which lie untapped.He says Selebi-Phikwe's problems stem from over-reliance on government assistance. With a high unemployment rate, a stuttering manufacturing sector and heavy dependence on BCL Mine, the town has seen little economic progress in recent years.

Mohwasa believes a route linking the mining town to Maputo would ignite a hive of economic activities. He says the route would link Phikwe to ports of Beira and Maputo itself and that this helps establish the town as an EPZ."We can create Selebi-Phikwe as an industrial hub and influence policy makers to have a route to Maputo," the BNF PRO says. "In that way, we would have access to ports which would in turn stimulate economic growth," Mohwasa said.

Government's efforts to turn Selebi-Phikwe into an industrial hub have spun in the wrong direction, particularly with the textile sector. Mohwasa says projects should be people-driven. He believes BCL can be pressured into building a refinery through community involvement. BCL itself could put pressure on its suppliers to set up in town, a development which stimulates growth.

Mohwasa, who has lived in Selebi-Phikwe for at least 30 years, says if companies were attracted to the town, demand for office space, accommodation and other services would escalate.

He says it is unfortunate that Selebi-Phikwe does offer recreational facilities, which certain investors consider before setting up.Mohwasa said through a public-private sector partnership, a game reserve could be established on the periphery of the town. "By having recreational facilities, you enhance the quality of life. Investors look at what the town offers first before setting up," he says. He decried lack of commercial flights in and out of Phikwe, saying this has deprived the mining town of investors. Captains of industry and civic leaders have been unanimous in trying to get the government to upgrade the town's airport, which is in a deplorable state. Mohwasa believes that for the national airline, Air Botswana, to introduce a route to Selebi-Phikwe, there should be sufficient economic activity on the ground to make the route viable.He says the town should have a website providing information to potential investors and visitors. "What Phikwe has are ivory tower projects which do not impact on people's lives. Look at the unemployment rate which continues to rise," Mohwasa says.The BNF spokesman says with the emergence of China as an economic superpower, Botswana should adopt a "Look East" policy to tap into the emerging markets in Asia.

"The future of the world is in the East. So we should position ourselves to tap into that market. With a route to Maputo, we would access emerging markets in Africa and beyond," Mohwasa says.

web allafrica.com	Enter your search terms	Submit search form
OR subscribers use AllAfrica's premium search engine


Use our pull-down menus to find more stories

Today's Most Active Stories