‘Increased cargo volumes boon for Manicaland’
THE Volume of cargo passing through Manicaland is on the increase following the deepening of Napula Port in Mozambique, a development that has created demand for the development of dry port and Special Economic Zones in Mutare, a Government minister has said.
Speaking at a breakfast meeting organised by the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) in conjunction with the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) in Mutare this week, the Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba said Manicaland’s potential as a business hub was huge given its proximity to ports in Mozambique.
As a result, said Dr Gwaradzimba, Mutare Dry port needed expansion and operational efficiency to enable the smooth flow of traffic to and from Beira.
“We need to be motivated towards the fulfilment and realisation of President Mnangagwa’s mantra: “Zimbabwe is open for business”. As a nation, we want to engage and re-engage all countries so that we promote Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country. No country will live in isolation. We need other countries as much as they need us,” she said.
The minister also said Manicaland was into timber export to Botswana; macadamia nuts to China, Australia and South Africa; tea to European countries; avocados to Germany and bananas to European countries.
Urging the business community to shun the dependency syndrome, she said:
“Gone are the days when everyone used to leave everything to the Government due to lack of creativity and innovation, as Government we implore you to wake up and hit the ground running,” she said.
Dr Gwaradzimba said Manicaland was endowed with vast mineral resources and was geared to attract investment in areas of exploration, diamond cutting and polishing, jewellery manufacturing, cement and fertilizer production and joint ventures with smallscale miners.