BOTSWANAPOST OPENS TUMASERA, RAKOPS AND PANDAMANTENGA POST OFFICES
When the 2021/2022 financial year began, BotswanaPost set out to improve and grow its postal services footprint across the country by opening ten (10) newly refurbished or built Post Offices by the end of the period. This commitment came despite the plan lacking government funding through NDP11. BotswanaPost overcame this impediment to successfully deliver seven (7) refurbished and newly built Post Offices to communities nation-wide with a budget of just over BWP Seven Million (P7 000 000.00) for the year 2021/2022. Our property development plan has been achieved in seven (7) locations across the country with refurbishments in Maun, Sikwane, Pandamatenga, Tumasera, Rakops, and the establishment of new Post Offices in Ramotlabaki and Ntlhantlhe.
BotswanaPost Chief Executive Officer – Mr. Cornelius Ramatlhakwane with support from various stakeholders from government, the private sector and respective community leadership led and ensured the successful completion and handing over of these projects. Speaking at the official opening at Rakops Post Office, His Honour the Vice President of The Republic of Botswana who was officiating the opening, noted that though BotswanaPost is financially constrained, the model that it has adopted in delivering their strategic projects provides learnings that can be emulated in the delivery of other key projects across government entities. He noted that the expansion of Post Offices across the country will bring convenience and benefit communities.
In his remarks, the Minister of Transport and Communications, Honourable Thulagano Merafe Segokgo recognized the continued strides made by BotswanaPost’s commitment to the vision set out by Government to bridge the digital divide and ensure equal opportunity through access to universal postal services by all despite the challenges BotswanaPost faces.
For his part when officiating at the launch of Tumasera Post Office, The Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Honourable Mabuse Mopati Pule applauded the organization for extending much needed opportunities to the local communities through alignment with the President of the Republic’s call for new approaches to on schedule and on budget project delivery with a focus on citizen empowerment as part of the Reset Agenda.
Giving the keynote address at the opening of Pandamatenga Post office, Botswana Telecommunications Regulations Authority (BOCRA) Director of Licensing Ms. Tebogo Mmoshe, highlighted the significant role played by a Post Office within any community’s communications infrastructure. A programme of systematic upgrade and expansion of the postal network is as such critical to the expansion of service delivery to communities across the nation. BOCRA is mandated to ensure provision of safe, reliable, efficient, and affordable postal services throughout Botswana. Against this backdrop, Mmoshe announced the regulator’s commitment to funding four (4) Post Office developments in the Financial Year 2022-23 with the possibility of additional support over the following two-year period.
All the Post Office upgrades reflect BotswanaPost’s strategic commitment to improving its service points across the country to enhance customer and staff experiences whilst also improving property value. Developments to the respective Post Offices include the expansion of the circulation bureau (CB), the banking hall, addition of consultation rooms or offices, the installation of new air conditioning, and security enhancements to accommodate current business needs. Furthermore, the staff accommodation in these areas received much needed upgrades to ensure conductive living conditions for the men and women that serve at Post. The refurbishment and construction of the Post Offices was done collectively in partnership with local communities.
