By Sizwe Dlamini
The country’s Prime Minister, Russell Dlamini, has announced that Cabinet has approved an institutional housing project financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) to the tune of E2.4 billion.
Dlamini made these remarks during the launch of the annual Cabinet retreat at Ezulwini.Dlamini explained that the institutional housing project will prioritize police staff housing, and improve living conditions for law enforcement personnel.
“We look forward to the rolling out of the institutional housing programme, prioritizing police staff housing,” Dlamini stated.
Dlamini added that the Cabinet has also approved the upgrading of 483 km of roads from unpaved to paved standard, and the government is also in the process of establishing a Roads Agency.
A Roads Agency is a specialised organisation responsible for the development, construction, and maintenance of road networks. Its primary role is to ensure that road infrastructure is planned, executed, and maintained efficiently.
“The Ministry of Public Works and Transport is currently sourcing funds for a road agency project,” he said.
The government has invited the private sector to propose innovative financing models for infrastructure projects, including roads, as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to encourage resource mobilization.
In line with these infrastructure plans, the government is also in the process of establishing a Roads Agency, which will oversee the construction and maintenance of roads once fully operational.
“The establishment of a Roads Agency is expected to spearhead the construction and maintenance of roads,” Dlamini said.
Dlamini also touched on local power generation, stating that power generation remains a key catalyst for economic growth, with the Government already issuing contracts that will increase power generation in the kingdom to 198MW.
“The government has already issued contracts that will increase power generation in the kingdom to 198MW. However, in the drive to industrialization, a minimum baseload of 1,000MW is required. Government continues to engage with partners and private companies to invest in power generation, highlighting the importance of foresight in energy planning,” he said.