. . . ED sees bright future for nation
THE country has a bright future as Government has set in motion an array of policy initiatives to spur development in communities as part of its drive to create in middle income economy by 2030, President Mnangagwa has said.
The President said this yesterday while officiating at a cattle breeding programme and the opening of a science and computer laboratory at Gandauta Secondary School in Chiadzwa, Manicaland Province.
The two initiatives were sponsored by the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC), which is owned by the Government.
The cattle breeding project targets communal farmers in the province.
“There is a brighter future in the country, better than where we are coming from. We understand the challenges that we are currently experiencing but in the new dispensation we have programmes meant to develop rural areas, including devolution. So things will change for the better soon,” said President Mnangagwa.
He said Government had set aside $310 million in the 2019 National Budget to be shared equally among the country’s 10 provinces.
“We are committed to the development of every region and district in the country. If you look at our budget that was presented last month, you will see that we complied with the Constitution where we set aside $310 million that will benefit every local authority in the country, be it rural or urban,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said Government was also devolving authority to the provinces for them to manage their own affairs.
He commended ZCDC for engaging in community development projects in the short time it has been operating.
“Before ZCDC started operations, there were six or seven companies that were operating here, but did nothing to develop the
1 area,” said President Mnangagwa.
“They were simply interested in making profits and that is why Government stopped their operations. You cannot identify anything meaningful that those companies did, that is why we formed ZCDC which is a Government-owned company,” he said.
ZCDC was established two and half years ago after Government consolidated all diamond mining firms at Chiadzwa to plug leakages.
President Mnangagwa said Government policy was that each area should benefit from local resources.
“That is why as Government we gave $5 million to the Marange community when we came into power (new dispensation) to kick-start the community trust here.
“ZCDC started from scratch but we are happy with the community projects they are doing here and we also hope they will contribute to the fiscus meaningfully,” he said.
The cattle breeding project is spearheaded by ZCDC in conjunction with the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society.
It is set to benefit the whole of Manicaland.
The company has also set aside $30 million to reclaim land destroyed by previous miners of diamonds in the area.
Earlier, President Mnangagwa had planted a baobab tree to mark the land reclamation programme.
Meanwhile, Chief Marange thanked Government and the President for development programmes they have initiated in the Marange area since his Government came into power last year.
“We are happy that the President has prioritised this area since he came into power. ZCDC has also assisted us in various areas that include health, education and general social services.
“We pledge to continue supporting you and our party ZanuPF,” said Chief Marange.