The Prime Minister, Dr Moeketsi Majoro says Lesotho is leading in Africa in terms of investments accessing international markets.
He said this when officiating the Nineteenth Private Sector Consultative Meeting under the theme ‘Promoting Domestic Foreign Partnership in New Industries.’
Dr Majoro noted that there are 12 licences that are active and renewed on annual basis, saying that 12, there are a number of investments that are already accessing markets in Europe.
He said he has already spoken to the authorities to be careful when issuing the licences, noting that it is useless to issue a lot of licences and later discover that a few are only active.
He noted that farmers who are interested in a hallucination of mushrooms should be prepared as they will be issuing licences in a few months.
He stressed that these products are critical as they will be used in health sectors, saying that few mistakes can destroy the image of Lesotho.
Dr Majoro said health investments are needed hence the country needs healthy knowledgeable people.
Giving his presentation, the Lesotho Millennium Development Agency  (LMDA) also MCC Compact II Representative, Mr. Keketso Chalatse noted that the proper leadership must come from the Private Sector.
He said the compact is intending to work on poverty reduction and economic growth, the creation of sustainable jobs, the expansion of the projects to the other parts of the country and imports substation.
He stressed that the Health Sector project activities will focus on three activities thus Primary Health care, District Health Management Team Reform and Digital Health Services.
He noted that the Primary Health Care will support the Ministry of Health to create and use a transferable electronic patient, saying it will also support local intuitions to provide PHC in pre-service training.
Mr. Chalatse highlighted that District Health Management Team Reform will work on expanding the MoH financial systems to the district level and build software and technical capacity to analyse spending versus quality PHC provision.
He further stressed that the District Health Management Team Reform will work towards a health data system made interoperably and to select IT hardware and software.
He noted that the second project will focus on market-driven irrigated horticulture which will increase rural incomes by stimulating growth in the sector and also catalyse future investments in market-driven horticulture by establishing a successful and sustainable model of irrigation, water and land management inclusive of women.
He noted that the project is expected to create 90 000 jobs, roll out irrigation throughout the country, growth of local investment, women and youth empowerment, reduced per capital health costs and reliable national health information.
The Public-Private Dialogues started in April last year and they are organized by the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit (PMDU) to facilitate regular dialogue between the government and the private sector. The participants in these meetings include the Prime Minister, LMDA, Heads of State-Owned Entities, Representatives of Development Partners and the private sector.
By Staff Reporter: ‘Maphoka Likotsi