By Limpho Sello
MASERU — Millennium Challenge Account (MCA)-Lesotho has officially handed over the private sector development projects of the Lesotho Compact to the government of Lesotho.
Sophia Mohapi, the MCA- Lesotho Chief Executive Officer, said through the account they had implemented fifteen projects under the Compact with a total budget of US$362 million, about M2.7 billion in Lesotho from 2008 when it started.
According to Mohapi, the projects are each commissioned in the form of a seminar.
“Commissioning the projects in the form of a seminar allows the leaders of the implementing entities to engage
the audience in detail on what has been achieved under the Private Sector Developments (PSD) activities of the compact,”
Mohapi said.
“The seminars will also enlighten the country’s private sector on the extent to which they can take advantage of the reforms
realised under the compact.”
The handing over ceremony held at a local hotel on Monday was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and local government boss Mothetjoa Metsing,
finance minister Leketekete Ketso and trade minister Temeki Tšolo.
Mohapi added that they were determined to complete their work as planned and “within the budget”.
Mohapi said though it the end of the compact on the September 17, they thanked God for giving them the energy to travel the “not- so-easy” journey of the past five years.
“It took a lot of dedication and hard work to get to where we are today,” she said.
“We are proud to announce to all of you that the Private Sector Development (PSD) projects under the Compact are all complete.”
It was gratifying, Mohapi asserted, to note that all the projects were on the track to achieve the goals they were meant to.
Moreover, Mohapi said, the commissioning event symbolised the handing over of the of five projects to the government
of Lesotho being Land Administration Reform Project, Civil Legal Reform Project, Debit/Smart Card Project, Credit Bureau Project and Gender Equality in Economic Rights Programme.
The implementing entities for the PSD projects are the Ministry of Gender and Youth, Sports and Recreation, Ministry of Law and Constitutional Affairs, Ministry of Local Government, Chieftainship and Affairs, Ministry of Communication, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Finance.
Addressing a similar event, Ketso said as he officiated the commissioning “it’s almost unbelievable to note progress that has been achieved under the Lesotho Compact to date”.
He said through these projects Lesotho was very close to achieving its goal of reducing poverty through economic growth.
“As the government of Lesotho, we aspire to be prosperous and it is through these projects that I can see us almost achieving that dream,” Ketso said.
Ketso said through the same project they had seen numerous reforms intended to level the playing ground for “a vibrant business environment”.
According to Ketso, government has recognised and accepted the reforms and their likely impact on the country’s economy.
