Majara leads Mpilo Boulevard sod-turning ceremony

Acting Prime Minister Justice Nthomeng Majara on Monday led the official sod-turning ceremony for the Mpilo Maseru Central roads and bridges project in Maseru.

The multi-million-maloti infrastructure project is expected to be completed within two years and is set to create employment opportunities for Basotho, especially young people.

The Mpilo project covers several zones, including Maseru Club, Pioneer Mall, IEMS and Katlehong, among others. Led by Nam Consultants with support from other consulting firms, including Sinohydro of the People’s Republic of China, the project will involve the construction of 9km of road and four bridges. Its main objective is to reduce road accidents in the city.

In her keynote address, Majara, who is also the Member of Parliament for Maseru Central, said more than M230 million has been allocated for the bridges, while roads will cost over M280 million.

She said residents of Old Europa, Katlehong and those living along Pope John Paul Road are expected to benefit significantly from the project.

Majara urged contractors to carry out their work professionally and complete it within the set timeframe, while calling on the Ministry of Local Government to pay contractors on time.

She also appealed to Basotho employed on the project to value their work and perform to the best of their ability so that challenges associated with the project can be avoided.

Minister of Local Government and Chieftainship Nkhethoa Seetsa said the ceremony marked a major milestone in service delivery, describing the project as long overdue.

He said the roads and bridges would improve safety for all road users and ease congestion along the affected routes.

He added that the project would not only reduce road accidents, but also rehabilitate roads leading to various villages, boost tourism and support business growth.

Seetsa said the project would run for two years and would include skills transfer, job creation, and youth empowerment.

Speaking on behalf of the Principal Chief of Matsieng, Chief Lerotholi Seeiso called for the successful implementation of the project and said jobs should be distributed fairly so that the Maseru community can benefit.

Mr Gerald Spence, speaking on behalf of community councillors from MMC 06, said the project would go a long way in improving pedestrian safety, especially for people crossing from Moshoeshoe I statue to Pioneer Mall. He said the city would also be beautified by the development.

The ceremony was attended by officials, diplomats and members of the public.