The preliminary works consist of infrastructure such as roads, water and sewerage services that will provide an enabling environment for the entry of private sector capital and subsequent development of various tourism activities at Letsibogo Dam.SPEDU is hoping to access the necessary funding from the Re-Employment Account (REA), which is a pool of funds made up of repayments of loans to BCL Mine and Tati Nickel from the European Union via the Government of Botswana. In recent years, BCL Mine and Tati Nickel Mine have benefited from European Union funds that government on-lent to them at concessionary rates with generous grace periods. Interest and capital from these loans were then deposited into the REA and demarcated for use to support the economic diversification of Selebi-Phikwe.
Funds from the REA have already been used for the construction of factory shells in Selebi-Phikwe and the construction of a water pipeline at Tati Nickel's Phoenix Mine.SPEDU tacticians recently submitted an application for P13 million to REA for the development of primary infrastructure around Letsibogo Dam in support of tourism activities there. A further P28 million will be required for small project funding related to the tourism projects.Last week, SPEDU official Theodore Seemule, told Mmegi that the development of tourism activities around Letsibogo Dam were part of a slew of initiatives in line with the diversification of Selebi-Phikwe's economy. He revealed that Letsibogo Dam tourism opportunities were identified by a 2006 study on 'Phikwe's diversification.
