Churches avail housing for low income earners

INDIGENOUS churches have been urged to work with the Government to achieve targets under the Zim Asset clusters to help economic growth and bust illegal sanctions imposed on the country by Western countries.

Speaking during the ordination of 37 Apostolic bishops in the city yesterday, Minister of State for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Nomthandazo Eunice Moyo said although the country was experiencing economic and social challenges since 2000, the church could play an important role in giving hope and solutions to the problems that people were facing.

“As indigenous churches, I am strongly convinced that working with your Government to achieve targets under the Zim Asset clusters at grassroots level will at the end of the day bust the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Western countries,” she said.

“Zimbabwe has experienced deteriorating economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Western countries. The impacts being hyperinflationary environment and a low industrial capacity utilisation.”

She said she was well aware of some of the programmes that the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) was doing in the region.

“I am aware of the programmes that ACCZ does in the region due to the good working relations between my office and that of the regional coordinator, projects such as the low income housing stands availed at Lot 27 B Lower Rangemore.

“This project comes in support of Government’s efforts to provide basic housing to the population and supports the Zim Asset pillar on infrastructure and utilities. The partnership between ACCZ and Conartta Developments which has seen the general public in the province afford to own homes, has also seen the housing backlog in the local authority list decrease,’’ said Minister Moyo.

The ACCZ is made up of Apostolic and Zion churches in Zimbabwe. Addressing the gathering, Archbishop Johannes Ndanga said, “Word of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard rather than the shout of a ruler of fool.”

He said the church, particularly his organisation were pushing for development programmes that were going to benefit the congregants and the nation as a whole especially those that were in line with the country’s economic blueprint, Zim-Asset.

The chief executive officer of Falakhe Funeral Parlour Mr Pilate Mabhena said they were happy to witness a marriage between ACCZ and his company and was looking forward for other church organisations to partner them.