The first week of the Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited (BTCL) Initial Public Offering (IPO) nationwide public education roadshow attracted thousands of Batswana who are eager to learn more about how to become shareholders in BTCL.
According to a press release from BTCL, massive crowds attended road show activities in Mahalapye, Palapye, Serowe, Letlhlakane, Bobonong and Selibe Phikwe.
On January 20 in Serowe, the roadshow saw an overwhelming crowd of eager prospective shareholders in BTCL join in celebration of and education around Botswana's biggest IPO to date, says the release.
The release says the roadshow activities offer edutainment as well as public engagement to Batswana across all demographics. They are empowered with knowledge on what share ownership means and how to become shareholders.
Representatives from the BTCL IPO project team engaged with those in attendance to respond to a number of questions from the public.
It says Batswana are eager for new ways to diversify their investment in a true testament to the nation's thirst for more education, empowerment and ownership in heritage businesses such as BTCL.
BTCL managing director, Paul Taylor said "the turn out for the first leg of the public education roadshow has been phenomenal, and it is a privilege and honour to be out there engaging with future owners of this marvelous business.
For us, this is not only an opportunity to market the IPO, but to contribute towards a much bigger, more sustainable initiative: the education and empowerment of the public on such a complex topic as share ownership."
"We are engaging with people who have been saving up to be able to buy shares, and some who are making sacrifices in their usual routine to be able to raise funds. Some have never bought shares before, so this can be a very daunting path to take for some Batswana," he said.
