By OBAKENG MAJE
Most state-owned companies in North West are faced with a mammoth task in ensuring that they are self-efficient. They are either faced with maladministration, corruption, or malfeasance.
Now, the North West Premier, Bushy Maape has come up with strategic measures to improve oversight over state-owned enterprises (SOEs) by appointing a panel of experts, who will be responsible to look at the status of the provincial SOEs and make recommendations to the provincial government on how these institutions can contribute in driving the provincial economy to fully recover.
Among other recommendations, the panel will also help the province lure investors and drive the economy to its full recovery. Maape said this will be done through the resuscitation of the Growth and Development Strategy (GDS).
“With the provincial unemployment rate currently sitting at around 34 %, the government believes that SOEs can play a meaningful role in repositioning the provincial economy by partnering with various financial and commercial institutions to attract investments.
“The panel will also be expected to advise the government on the feasibility of resuscitating old and abandoned projects by turning them into mega projects. This includes exploring and devising strategies in initiating new mega projects through various infrastructural projects,” he said.
Maape further said, the appointment of these experts forms part of a broader strategy by the government to create employment and address the scourge of poverty and income inequalities afflicting many communities across the province. He also maintained that the resuscitation of the GDS is a step in the right direction in attracting investments and creating opportunities for locals.
“There is a glimmer of hope in what we are trying to achieve. In the past few months, I’ve been crisscrossing the province speaking to different stakeholders about how we can resuscitate the economy.
“All of them have made a commitment to work with us in achieving our intended objectives. We believe that, through infrastructure development, the provincial government will be able to respond to a number of challenges confronting the province. But critically, to reposition the province as a viable destination for investments,” said Maape.
He added: “Through this initiative, we will be able to contribute to the province’s GDP and this will in turn create opportunities for upcoming entrepreneurs. This will put us in a better position to create jobs for our people so that they can be self-sufficient.”
He said the panel of experts includes professionals from various academic backgrounds as well as industries and organisations. Maape said they will work for hand in glove with senior government officials in seeing to the full implementation of the aforementioned plans.
The Guardian 