Govt happy with PLZ’s economic, community projects
THE Governmenthas applauded mining giant Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe (PLZ) for its exceptional operations and contribution to the development of the country’s economy.
In an interview on the sidelines of a tour PLZ’s offices, staff accommodation and the operations at the plant on Tuesday, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland East province Aplonia
Munzverengwi said PLZ was doing an amazing job in terms of development and empowering communities.
“What I have seen here is amazing because I used to come here when they were still operating from cabins as their offices in 2023,” said.
“The progress that they have made for the last 12 months is here for everyone to see. The plant was in pieces and now is a complete plant ready to produce products for export in thousands of tonnes.
“When we came with His Excellency President Mnangagwa to commission this place, these offices were not here and some other parts of the plant were not yet in place, but today I could not believe my eyes because the offices are complete, the other portions of the plant are complete and there is a lot of infrastructure way up and the number of trucks that I saw outside is evidence enough for everyone to see that there is massive production here.”
Minister Munzverengwi said she has witnessed progress on PLZ and it was still work in progress.
“A lot of infrastructure is yet to be completed and I want to thank PLZ on behalf of Mashonaland East province as the Minister of State,” she said.
“This is my duty to monitor and update the Office of the President that this company is here to produce results.”
She said there were other companies who were procrastinating on establishing themselves when they have all the necessary paper work to start operating.
“We have some companies which are approved and all the necessary paperwork is in place, but they take years to implement, establish themselves and to produce but from this company and Dinson Company in Manhize, we have seen a massive plant and the completion of that plant means within six months we will be selling steel, a finished product from Zimbabwe,” she said.
“This is development for you and we want people to see the development that is happening in the countryside.”
In terms of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Minister Munzverengwi said for the past two years, Mashonaland East was on number 3 behind Harare and Bulawayo and by then PLZ was not yet producing.
“Radnor Mine in Makaha was not yet producing. What more? God willing, we bank on what is happening here and in other areas including our agricultural sector.
“You know very well that we are an agricultural based province and our GDP was anchored on agriculture but the coming in of PLZ, Radnor and other lithium mining companies into Mashonaland East, who knows maybe we are going to surpass Harare and Bulawayo.”