25 Feb 2016

Good Hope – Mabule Sub-district Council chairperson, Ms Maobene Molefhe says the sub district has been allocated close to P400 million for backlog eradication projects under the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP).

Officially opening the Good Hope–Mabule Sub-district Council session, Ms Molefhe said the implementation of most of the ESP projects were scheduled to start in the 2016/17 financial year.

Ms Molefhe said any new projects under ESP would,  therefore, be approved through the stipulated budget.

She said the goal of the programme was to accelerate the implementation of the plan and cover backlogged projects.
She highlighted that the overall progress of the standardisation of the contract document for consultants and contractors was at 70 per cent.

Giving an update on the ESP projects that would be undertaken in the sub district, she said four projects at Sekhutlane, Digawana, Maiphitlhwane and Mmaditlou primary schools would be rolled out and have classrooms, toilets and staff houses constructed at P170 million.

She also noted that junior secondary schools would not be left out as there would be construction of classroom blocks at Nthwalang, Mmathethe, Lotlaamoreng and Iphutheng junior secondary schools.
Apart from classrooms, she said schools would benefit from the ESP as some science laboratories and staff houses would be built.

She said other projects to be constructed under the programme was the construction of tribal facilities, upgrading of health facilities and the electrification of some villages and tarring of some external roads joining villages.

She said Mosesedi farmers would also benefit from the ESP as power reticulation and distribution commenced in November 2015 at a cost of P15 million. She added that all farmers who  applied for power would be connected by March.

On other issues, Ms Molefhe said the Ministry of Transport and Communications in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Skills Development together with Botswana Fiber Networks, Bofinet and Mascom would be undertaking an initiative to connect Internet to 523 schools around 85 villages.

She said out of the initiative, 353 primary schools were targeted and 142 junior secondary schools,  adding that the Southern District has been allocated 59 primary schools, 22 junior secondary schools and four senior secondary schools. Ends