Mogae opens Oshakati Civic Centre

BOTSWANA President Festus Mogae says the construction of the Oshakati Town Council’s Civic Centre shows the Government’s commitment to decentralisation and providing better public services to the people.

“This occasion has at its core not only the Oshakati Town Council’s realisation of its long-term vision, but also the commitment of the Government of Namibia to uplifting the lives of its people,” he said when opening the new municipal office block this week. He said regional development was an integral part of the process of national socio- economic development in this part of the world.According to the Botswana President, the Namibian and Botswana governments are both committed to ensuring suitable regional development.”I am happy to note that our two countries recognised at the recent Botswana/Namibia Joint Permanent Commission for Co-operation, held in Botswana, that decentralisation is important to achieve effective service delivery and democratisation of local institutions,” Mogae said.He said Namibia and Botswana had agreed to share experiences on fiscal decentralisation, local economic empowerment, community participation, financial assistance, attracting investment to local authorities and public-private partnership arrangements.”Both countries have valuable information, expertise and knowledge which can be exchanged for the benefit of their people,” he said.He said the opening of the Oshakati Civic Centre was a historic occasion in the consolidation of regional and local authority structures in Namibia, and the strengthening of regional governance.He said regional development was an integral part of the process of national socio- economic development in this part of the world.According to the Botswana President, the Namibian and Botswana governments are both committed to ensuring suitable regional development.”I am happy to note that our two countries recognised at the recent Botswana/Namibia Joint Permanent Commission for Co-operation, held in Botswana, that decentralisation is important to achieve effective service delivery and democratisation of local institutions,” Mogae said.He said Namibia and Botswana had agreed to share experiences on fiscal decentralisation, local economic empowerment, community participation, financial assistance, attracting investment to local authorities and public-private partnership arrangements.”Both countries have valuable information, expertise and knowledge which can be exchanged for the benefit of their people,” he said.He said the opening of the Oshakati Civic Centre was a historic occasion in the consolidation of regional and local authority structures in Namibia, and the strengthening of regional governance.