14 Aug 2017

As the ministry charged with implementing the government’s infrastructure development projects and providing shelter for citizens, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing Development (MIHD) contributes immensely to job creation and poverty alleviation.

In an interview with BOPA, the minister of Infrastructure and Housing Development, Mr Nonofo Molefhi said his ministry had over the past year established over 20 000 jobs, which bears testament to the work they do to improve the livelihoods of Batswana.

“In the period between April 2016 and July 2017, we managed to create 20 941 jobs through the various construction projects done through procurement.

These included outsourcing of infrastructure projects, consultancy, maintenance, and outsourcing services such as security, cleaning, gardening and landscaping and engagement of casual labourers,” Mr Molefhi said.

The ministry, which was established in October 2016 after the realignment of government ministries, has a mandate of providing the construction and maintenance of government buildings, and ensuring that citizens have access to dignified housing.

The ministry has also introduced a 15 per cent reservation of maintenance budget for youth contractors. Currently, the ministry data base has registered 464 youth contractors, and 1314 youth registered with vocational skills, the minister revealed.

“Since the programme started in 2009, until the current 2017-18 financial year, maintenance tenders cumulatively worth over P282 million have been awarded countrywide to 3904 youth owned contractors and 1279 individual vocationally skilled in the construction industry,” Mr Molefhi said.

He said in terms of taking Batswana out of poverty, the ministry was currently implementing various projects. These include the Self Help Housing Agency (SHAA) loan; Turnkey Project; SHAA for Public Officers D4 and below; Public Officers Husing Initiative (POHI) and Management of Pool Housing.

“Integrated Poverty Alleviation and Housing Project facilitates, the economic empowerment of poor households who do not qualify for SHAA loans by training the households to acquire production skills, earn income and build houses through self-help practices. Currently there are 19 out of 23 projects running countrywide with 412 beneficiaries,” Mr Molefhi said.

SHAA assists low and middle-income earners acquire housing, and has developed 3928 plots between 2009 and the 2017-18 financial year out of the 5565 earmarked with a budget of over P220 million.

The Turnkey Project, which runs concurrently with SHAA, is developing 6759 housing units over the same period of time with a budget of over P544 million, with 3604 units already completed.

These initiatives are part of the government priority areas (presidential pledge), which has five key objectives; make job creation a number one priority, take Batswana out of poverty; increase education funding; eliminate mother to child transmission of HIV; and fight corruption in all its manifestations. BOPA