Sello Motseta
18th November 2021
The individuals on Presidential Task Force Personnel dealing with communications, copy writing, graphic design, social media and public relations comprised 7 of the 14 members of the task force enjoying allowances of between P882.00 – P1,800.00 a day the Auditor General’s report has revealed.
Kago Mmopi, Sipho Showa and Anno K. Tshipa who were employed as the Communications and Public Relations Officers for the Task force earned salaries of P1,800.00 per day despite enjoying very competitive salary packages at their primary work stations.
It is not clear why their responsibilities as well as those of the copy writer, graphic designer and social media advisor could not be undertaken by individuals with a broad range of appropriate skills at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, under whose auspices activities relating to COVID-19 containment were being administered and co-ordinated in pursuit of the national effort.
“Risk communication in public health emergencies which aims at helping stakeholders define risks, identify hazards, assess vulnerabilities and promotes community resilience should be multi-level and multi-faceted. An essential part of the public about health risks and events, such as COVID-19,” said Pulane D. Letebele, Auditor General in her report on the preparedness and response of the country towards COVID-119 pandemic and management of the Relief Fund.
She said, “It is noteworthy that most members of the Presidential Task force were appointed from outside the public service.”
The Ministry of Health and Wellness carried out various activities including developing and printing educational materials, producing television advertisements, radio jingles, newspaper and magazine advertisements, message for mobile networks and social media.
360,000 brochures were allegedly published as well as 70,000 flyers and 160,000 posters but it is not clear where they were placed or distributed for public consumption.
According to the World Bank Collection of Development Indicators(2015), the literacy rate of Botswana was 88.2%, which translates into literate population of 1,983,520 persons meaning 1 in every 12 people should have received poster, 1 in 6 a brochure and 1 in 28 a flyer.
This quite clearly never happened. The Auditor General’s report does not reveal where these printed materials were placed for verification purposes. It is therefore difficult to verify or corroborate the information provided to Government officials from whom information was sourced.
The private media was inexplicably sidelined despite the report saying advertisements were placed in all local newspapers in both languages and in three magazines being the Perspective, Hotel and Catering and the Botswana Advertiser which is owned by BDP Treasurer Satar Dada, who is a very close confidante of President Mokgweetsi Masisi.
An undated communications strategy was only availed in August 2021, a review of which suggests that it covered critical areas such as advocacy, public education and publicity, community mobilization, psychological support, monitoring and evaluation.
It is highlighted that even the existing COVID-19 Call Centre was not efficient. For instance, NEOC report dated 17th August 2020 indicated that data capturing was generated manually which had resulted in discrepancies pertaining to categorization and distribution of calls.
“The Ministry of Health and Wellness should put monitoring and supervision mechanisms in place to ensure efficient operation of the Call Centre. This will enhance reporting and informed decision making,” said Letebele.
