GABORONE, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Botswanan President Duma Boko on Tuesday launched a nationwide housing initiative aimed at economic empowerment through job creation and infrastructure development.
The initiative aims to construct 100,000 homes across the country, providing citizens with the opportunity to own real property, beginning with an initial phase of 3,000 units.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, for the first 3,000 houses, Boko said the event "marks a bold and tangible step toward fulfilling our manifesto promise of building 100,000 quality homes across Botswana."
Minister of Water and Human Settlement Onneetse Ramogapi said workers on the project will earn at least 4,000 Botswanan pula (about 292.8 U.S. dollars). The initiative is expected to boost local economies by creating over 100,000 jobs in construction and related sectors.
The project is being delivered by a Namibian infrastructure company in partnership with the Botswana Housing Corporation, with an investment of about 3 billion pula (about 219.6 million dollars).
