14 Feb 2016

Projects undertaken by SPEDU to diversify the economy of the region are bearing fruit, says the chief executive officer, Dr Mokubung Mokubung. He said the projects have created employment, brought infrastructural developments and make the region the breadbasket of the country.

Addressing a press conference at Bosele Hotel recently to inform the media and stakeholders about progress made to facilitate the implementation of projects, he said the horticulture processing plant was expected to be operational by mid

March this year. He added that SPEDU was facilitating the project while NFTRC and the poverty eradication unit under the Office of the President have injected funds. He noted that the Office of the President has injected about P20 million into the project.

He said another project undertaken by SPEDU to make the region a bread basket of Botswana in terms of horticulture produce, include the electrification of 44 horticulture farms along the Motloutse River from the Selebi Phikwe area to the Bobonong-Gobojango Bridge.

He said an environmental impact assessment study was being undertaken by Botswana Power Cooperation and would be completed around June this year.

He added that once complete, the farms would be connect to the grid. He said the whole purpose was to encourage efficiency because power was critical in the technology used by horticulture projects.

Alongside the horticulture project, he said was a study that was ongoing to design the framework and management plan for developing the area alongside the Motloutse River.

 “We have engaged a consultant called Mankwe consultant, the consultancy is looking at where the infrastructure should go, what horticulture produce clusters should be formed, how the horticulture famers can be assisted and all this is done to create more output on the horticulture sector,” he said.

He also indicated that the government intends to promote dam tourism in the region, which he said was a flagship progromme. He added that the idea was to have tourism resorts around Dikgatlhong, Letsibogo and Thune Dams.

He said his organisation had benchmarked in places that have such dam resorts, and that it was possible to have tourism activities around the dams while the water was  used. He said precautions would be undertaken to ensure that the water would not be polluted.

He said a consultancy to look at the feasibility of dam tourism was being undertaken. “We will be starting with Letsibogo and move on to other dams,” he said.

He said they were working with Botswana Tourism Organisation on the project, and that they were looking at providing infrastructure, roads, water works as well as sewerage systems.

He said SPEDU was expected to advertise plots around the Letsibogo River and dam to open up for potential investors who would invest in the entertainment and recreation centers around the Letsibogo Dam.  

Dr Mokubung also said the Platjaan Bridge project to make way for tourists and travellers from South Africa to Botswana including business people was underway.  He said SPEDU was facilitating the project which was under the Ministry of Transport and Communication.

He said the contractor was expected to be given a contract around February or March this year. He explained that P100 million has been budgeted for the project.

The CEO also noted that the Selebi Phikwe airport has been refurbished at a tune of 14.7 million. He said the airport was closed because the runway was not usable. He said Civil Aviation Authorities acknowledged the refurbishment of the airport runway and that it was in a state to be utilised.

He said SPEDU was still in discussion with Air Botswana to start operations and that the mining town would start having flights landing at the Selebi Phikwe Airport.
Ends