07 Mar 2021

 The World Bank funded projects have been delayed by two years due to prolonged procurement processes and stringent environmental and social safeguards requirements.

Answering a question in parliament on Friday, the Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Mr Kefentse Mzwinila, said the environmental and social safeguard requirements were from the World Bank and therefore government could not implement the project as it wished.

He said the loan was approved on May 17, 2017 and funds became available on August 14, 2017 and the project was expected to be completed in May 2021.

The minister said subsequently, government had applied for a loan extension of two years and were waiting for a response.

Revised completion date would be May 2023, he said.

Mr Mzwinila said the project experienced human capital constraints as personnel engaged for those projects were involved in other Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) activities and National Development Plan (NDP) 11 projects.

He said the ministry was able to recruit personnel dedicated to each project.

The minister said in accordance with set conditions of the loan, there had to be a project management structure to support WUC project implementation and further, the project manual had to be developed.

There were also other requirements such as dam safety action plan remedial works to ensure constant water supply and resettlement policy framework.

Mr Mzwinila said the government did not do the resettlement frameworks and it dealt with relocation of people for land acquisition.

The minister explained that funds could only be accessed after all loan conditions were met, adding the procurement procedures were long because the WB procedures also had to be met.

He said 12 water projects had been funded through the WB loan amongst them North East, Selebi Phikwe-Serule water transfer scheme, Sowa Water Master Plan and Mmathethe Water Supply.

Nata-Gweta legislator, Mr Polson Majaga, had asked the minister to update Parliament on the status of WB loan, stating the date the loan was approved and funds received.

He further wanted to know when the projects would be completed.

MP Majaga said given that the ministry was short staffed, when would they be in a position to effectively supervise and monitor the projects throughout Botswana. ends