The wasted millions at Tshele Fuel Project 

About two weeks ago, the CEO of Botswana Oil Limited (BOL), Meshack Tshekedi, blatantly said there was never any previous feasibility study conducted by the government on the development of a strategic fuel depot at Tshele Hill. However, The Business Weekly & Review has established that while nearly P150 million will be spent on a new feasibility study on development of strategic fuel reserves, a similar study was carried out a few years ago by a different company for about the same amount of money. 

Giving an update on the project at a media briefing recently, Tshekedi said he expects the Tshele Hill Strategic Fuel Storage Facility to be up and running by 2025 following change to a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. He revealed that BOL has engaged the services of a global consultancy firm, Turner & Townsend, for P16 million to advise on project implementation and to identify a suitable partner.

This came as a shock to The Business Weekly & Review because a previous consultant, Basis Points Capital (BPS Capital), was paid P21,934,816.40 (P21.9 million) excluding a capital raising fee which was to be paid separately, for the same job contracted to Turner & Townsend. According to reliable sources with documentary proof at the energy ministry, BPS Capital was engaged to assess the fuel situation in Botswana and made recommendations on how the fuel situation could be resolved.