Minister of Lands and Agriculture Edwin Dikoloti has called on boards of state-owned enterprises to tighten accountability, improve service delivery and ensure public resources are used responsibly.
Speaking at the State-Owned Enterprises Board Alignment Workshop, Dikoloti said boards must make service delivery central to their work.
“I expect every board to place stakeholder value and service delivery at the centre of its strategic agenda. We must continuously ask ourselves: what value are we creating? As boards, you must always examine whether you are making a meaningful contribution to agriculture and food security,” he said.
Dikoloti said state-owned institutions must also communicate effectively with the people they serve and demonstrate that they deserve the trust placed in them by the government and the public.
“Our institutions must be trusted, must be responsive and communicate effectively,” he said.
He said this required boards to uphold strong standards of integrity and strengthen financial oversight to ensure institutions delivered value for money.
“As boards, you are entrusted with public resources. We must manage these resources transparently and efficiently. I expect boards to strengthen financial oversight, improve productivity,” Dikoloti said.
The minister also urged boards to consider partnerships that could strengthen their institutions’ financial position.
“Where appropriate, boards should explore opportunities for revenue diversification and partnerships that can strengthen financial stability,” he said.
However, he warned that the pursuit of revenue must not take precedence over the public interest.
“Every pula must be used responsibly. Revenue generation must never compromise public interest. Investments must be properly justified,” Dikoloti said.
