BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – The Central Bank of Eswatini (CBE) headquarters are expected to cost a whopping E1 billion to construct.
The headquarters will be based in Ezulwini, just next to the Mahlalekhikhini Building (MTN Eswatini Headquarters) and the under-construction International Convention Centre and Five Star Hotel (ICC-FISH).
The construction on the 21-hactare site will be divided into four phases, with the first phase projected to be finished within 36 months. The other three are expected to be finished within seven years, as the King challenged CBE Governor Dr Phil Mnisi to ensure that such a feat was achieved.
The King said when the plan was presented to him, he was informed that the headquarters would include, among other things, recreational and conference facilities, innovation and centre of excellence, as well as a financial services museum.
His Majesty the King described this development as being the one that was going to change the landscape of the fast-developing town of Ezulwini.
Meanwhile, CBE Governor Dr Phil Mnisi explained to the King during sod-cutting that the project would be divided into four phases. The sod-cutting took place around 6pm, before speeches were made in the marquee that was set up within the CBE Complex premises.
Speaking during the sod-cutting exercise, Dr Mnisi explained that the first phase would include building the offices of the bank, which would be an 18-storey building. This is because the present one in Mbabane, which is a nine-storey building, no longer meet the needs of the bank now.
The bank’s responsibilities have been evolving and expanding over the years, hence the need for a bigger building to be constructed.
The second phase of the project includes a centre of excellence, training and conferencing centre, as well as the wellness centre. The CBE governor also talked about a hotel structure (the Ezulwini Sun) which was renovated to be used as a training facility for people having functions such as seminars.
He said a conference facility would also be put up next to the hotel (where the marquee was pitched) to act as a centre of excellence, wellness centre, and a clinic. He said the idea was that the health facility would come in handy for staff members from other central banks in other countries, who could use such facility during events hosted by the CBE. However, the CBE also wants the public to benefit from this health centre.
Phase Three, according to Dr Mnisi, would include sports facilities, flats for staff members, car park equipped with solar plant canopy, and other amenities. The governor said they wanted the complex to be environmentally friendly, where solar energy would be powering the whole facility.
He said the buildings would be higher rise so that land could be saved. The fourth phase, according to Mnisi, would include a multi-purpose hall. He said the hall would complement the whole complex and many different activities would take place inside the hall. He said the whole project would take five to 10 years to complete and that would be subject to the availability of the resources.
