Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Ministry of Gender, Youth, Sports and Recreation (MGYSR) and the Ministry of Small Business Development, Cooperatives and Marketing signed a Memorandum of
Agreement for the upcoming African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 youth games that will be held in December. The signing took place on Monday. MGYSR
Principal Secretary Dr. ‘Mamoeketsi Ntho announced that the day marks history of their collaboration. She further said the MGYSR, as the implementing ministry will need support from other ministries while preparing for the
upcoming AUSC games, thus they have paired with the Ministry of Small Business developments, Cooperatives and Marketing to have support and donate when need arises.
She said that this is the beginning of a new journey and said the documentation of their agreement will follow, which will serve as a proof for their ministerial
partnership. The Minister of Gender, Youth, Sports and Recreation Hon. Likeleli Tampane highlighted that this year in December Lesotho will host AUSC games where
different sporting codes will compete. The games were supposed to have played in December 2020 but due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, they were postponed
to December this year. These games are played by Under-20 athletes. Hon. Tampane mentioned that the country’s financial situation has deteriorated rapidly due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
She also said the government found an alternative, which is to use sports fields and all other already existing logistics for the coming games. She said the improvisation is better than starting from scratch.
“The government formed a subcommittee of ministers in order to advice the MGYSR regarding
these upcoming games. Among other important assignments of the subcommittee, we are to observe the sports fields and building premises which will need to be improvised.
I inform you all that the assignment has already been done and the subcommittee has already identified those sports fields and building premises which will be
used. We are delighted to announce that we are getting into this agreement with the Ministry of Small Business Development, Cooperatives and Marketing in order
to get their permission to use the Nerve Centre,” she said. Tampane further said the building will serve as the office where everything about the games will be arranged and where the final results of the games will be discussed.
She said this is a great opportunity for micro business owners as they will be expected to know and engage in these games. She clarified that these are those
in tourism businesses such as guest house owners as well as Basotho who sell food and clothes as this will improve their businesses. The minister also expressed
gratitude to the Minister of Small Business Development, Cooperatives and Marketing and the subcommittee of ministers for acknowledging their proposal.
For his part, the Minister of Small Business, Development, Cooperatives and Marketing Hon. Thesele Maseribane said they are eager to see the success of
this upcoming games. He indicated that he hopes to see the paper bags that will be given to visitors containing products produced by Basotho such as Mohalalitoe
soap, rosehip juice and bottles of water from springs in Lesotho in order to improve the economy of the country through sports. He concluded that the government has awarded M250 million to the Ministry of Sports for this upcoming games.
