Maseru – Officials at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning are reportedly being subjected to political pressure to approve major infrastructure projects that fail to meet regulatory standards and procedural requirements.
This troubling revelation was made on Wednesday before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) by Mothobi Letooane, Director of Project Cycle Management within the ministry.
Letooane explained that the ministry’s role is to advise government departments on project planning and to mobilise funding. However, he revealed that political directives often override technical assessments and best practices.
He was responding to a question posed by PAC member Dr. Tšeliso Moroke, who queried how the ministry had approved and secured funding for Phase I of the Ramarothole Solar Power Plant without an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) from the Ministry of Energy.
The Ramarothole project was financed through a soft loan of M1.3 billion from the EXIM Bank of China, with the Government of Lesotho contributing an additional M220 million. The government’s contribution included M57 million allocated for land compensation, as well as funding for tax obligations and operating costs under the Lesotho Generation Company (LEGCO), a parastatal within the Ministry of Natural Resources.
The solar plant, located on a 220-hectare site in Ha-Ramarothole, Likhoele, Mafeteng, was officially launched in June 2023. However, it is now grappling with significant environmental challenges, including severe soil erosion that has compromised the perimeter fencing and solar panel foundations—issues that could have been mitigated with a prior EIA.
Letooane admitted that the government had fast-tracked the project to secure funding and begin implementation, opting to conduct the EIA after construction had already commenced.
“To be honest, the EIA for Phase I was not conducted before implementation, and this has led to the serious environmental issues we are now experiencing,” Letooane told the PAC. “We had advised that all requirements be met before appraisal, but we were under immense political pressure to greenlight the project.”
He further disclosed that the Ramarothole solar plant is not the only project affected by political interference. “This is not an isolated case. We’ve been pressured to appraise bridges and other infrastructure projects without proper design documentation or adherence to EIA protocols,” he said.
Letooane lamented that such interference compromises public service integrity and exposes the government to long-term financial and environmental risks. “As officials, we operate under orders. Unfortunately, we are caught in a system where decisions are made above us, undermining our mandate to enforce due process and safeguard public resources.”
Dr. Moroke expressed grave concern over Letooane’s testimony, warning that the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning appears to have developed a pattern of approving projects prematurely. “There is a list of projects that were approved without meeting necessary standards. These substandard outcomes end up costing the country more in the long run,” he said.
The PAC also noted that the Ministry of Energy has now requested an additional M26 million to repair damage to the Ramarothole facility—costs that could likely have been avoided.
When asked to identify those responsible for pressuring the ministry to bypass proper procedures, Letooane and his colleagues requested that such disclosures be made in camera, citing fear of political retaliation.
In a bid to contain the environmental damage and secure the sustainability of Lesotho’s renewable energy investments, ReNoka and LEGCO have since entered into a Public-Private Partnership and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). As part of this collaboration, local communities are implementing land restoration interventions aimed at controlling water runoff and preventing further soil degradation around the solar plant.
