The government of Lesotho and Paramount Equipment Lesotho (PEL) marked the beginning of the construction of the opening of a M1-billion mining town at Tlaeng in Mokhotlong, with a sod turning ceremony on Friday last week.
PEL is a Basotho-owned company that has joined efforts with its partners from other African countries like Mozambique and South Africa, to invest and provide professional engineering and technical services in the country.
The mining town will, among others, boast a workshop where repairs and servicing of equipment used in the local mining industry will be done as well as to establish a training centre to provide mechanical skills for Basotho.
Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister, Dr Moeketsi Majoro, said lauded PEL for the initiative of investing in the project, which he said will open employment opportunities for the local community ahead of people from other parts of Lesotho.
“This initiative has helped the government as it is our plan to set up more mines. Even though the government may not directly create employment opportunities, it is committed to creating an enabling environment for the private sector to do that.
“There are currently about 150,000 unemployed youths in the country, and we particularly pay tribute to Paramount’s plans to work with institutions of higher learning with a view to contributing towards remedying this situation,” Majoro said.
At the same occasion, the minister of forestry, range and soil conservation, Motlohi Maliehe, said it is even more commendable that the venture is an initiative of fellow Africans.
The CEO of PEL, Innocent Masinga, said the company operates in many African countries, and it will go a long way towards uplifting artisans and other mining professionals with the PEL’s centre of excellence.
