Take part in development agenda, business community urged
GOVERNMENT has challenged the business community to participate in the country’s development agenda as enshrined in President Mnangagwa’s vision of becoming a middle-income economy by 2030.
The call was made by Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba during a breakfast meeting organised by the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries in Mutare last week.
“In order to address all the challenges our industries are facing, Government is calling upon all stakeholders to come on board and participate in the development agenda as enshrined in His Excellency ED Mnangagwa’s policy statement ‘no-one is left behind’, and get our economy going,” Dr Gwaradzimba said.
She said she was informed that the majority of companies in the province had closed due to various challenges bedevilling the economy.
Dr Gwaradzimba said Government was working towards reviving some of the big companies.
“As your Minister of State, I am reliably informed that the majority of our companies have closed shop due to viability challenges and some of them are operating below capacity,” she said.
“Our aim as Government is to resuscitate some of the big companies such as Buffalo Soap, Mutare Board and Paper Mills and Afro Safety Glass, among others, which are now shells by way of seeking for Foreign Direct Investment or Private Public Partnerships.”
Dr Gwaradzimba voiced her concern over the situation in the manufacturing sector that used to employ many local people.
“Our manufacturing sector used to generate employment for our people, but due to economic challenges, they are no longer able to employ a large number because of viability challenges,” she said.
“Plans are afoot to re-inject capital and expand production to bring forth new developments that will allow this sector to contribute meaningfully to the local Gross Domestic Product.”
Dr Gwaradzimba said a substantial chunk of industries in the sector remained closed or in distress, hence fresh capital injection was required to bring them back to their yesteryear status.