21 Feb 2016

Mosu and Mokubilo village health posts will be upgraded to clinics under the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP).

Boteti Sub district council chairperson, Mr Solomon Cornelius said this during the Boteti sub- council session held in Letlhakane.

He stated that though the sub-district still awaits list of economic stimulus projects, the said projects have already been communicated to the Sub-district.

He stated that Mopipi clinic would be expanded and construction of a clinic would be undertaken at Makalamabedi.

Mr Cornelius said 11 housing units for civil servants comprising of eight LA2 houses and three LA3 houses would be constructed.

The project is planned to commence in 2016/17 and would be completed by end of 2019/2020 financial year.

Other projects, he said were construction of type one kgotla offices in Mokoboxane and Mmea villages.

He noted that acquisition of lease agreements for all plots has been made, except for Mokubilo, which is on final process.

He reiterated that the objective of ESP was to enhance economic growth through accelerated economic diversification while creating employment opportunities in the country.

The targeted sectors, he said included agriculture production, tourism development, manufacturing, building and roads construction, as well as re-skilling of youth and establishment of special economic zones.  

Mr Cornelius reminded all that the programme will run for three years. As a move to address water challenges, Mr Cornelius said the tender for construction of transmission lines to connect in to the existing well fields and equipping of two boreholes for Letlhakane village is now at evaluation stage.

A project for equipping borehole at Nthane and construction of 9.7 kilometres transmission pipeline were completed, but not yet operationalised, he said.

Furthermore, he said the Water Utilities Corporation is currently exploring possible interventions to address the borehole water quality.

Boteti Northern Cluster village water supply project is near completion and progress achieved to date he said was at 93 per cent, he added.

He stated that delays encountered were due to Botswana Power Corporation bulk power connection to the project site at Mopipi and Phuduhudu treatment plants, borehole sites and Motopi river water intake point.

Mr Cornelius said the corporation also has a total of 43 paid private water connections awaiting connection since January 2016.

The corporation, he said experienced a challenge of non-availability of an effective excavation machine to attend to pipeline trenches, adding that frequent pipe bursts also stretches manpower. ENDS