Govt sees 100 days of sweet progress
GOVERNMENT met and in some instances exceeded set milestones for 64 percent (58 projects) of the 91 embarked on and targeted for implementation under the Second Republic’s 100-day cycle programme, a progress report from the Office of the President and Cabinet says.
According to the implementation progress report, the majority of the projects closed the period under review in green, depicting that the planned targets were either met or exceeded, despite strong headwinds presented by increasingly volatile economic conditions.
The 100-day cycle project implementation programme is a standard of excellence benchmark used by the executive to set out the right strategic priorities and stay focused on them.
This time 19,8 percent of projects closed in amber, meaning that planned targets were not met although implementation of the projects was satisfactory while only 15 percent closed in red, which shows that targets were not met and were below the agreed level of deviance.
The projects cut across major pillars of governance, macro-economic stability, inclusive growth, infrastructure and utilities and social development.
Notably, projects relating to empowerment of women, youth and the disadvantaged were categorised under cross cutting themes.
“The bulk of the projects are in the infrastructure and utilities pillar. In all pillars there are projects that met set targets. A lot more needs to be done for projects in the Governance pillar,” the progress report by OPC says.
On the economic front, key projects included operationalisation of two additional chrome smelters for Chinese firm AfroChine, accelerated backlog clearance of mines registration, livestock production, land security of tenure, mechanisation of irrigation and fighting corruption.
Government also embarked on projects to strengthen Zimbabwe’s socio-economic and political relations with multi-lateral institutions, improving economic relations with other countries and enhancing Diaspora contribution to economic growth.
The 100-day project implementation programme entails segmentation of big projects or strategic key result areas into smaller, more manageable and sharply focused and impactful milestones.
“Experience from previous cycles provides lessons for improving and refocusing implementation of projects for successive cycles.
However, the cycle under review closed on a rather low note because of the volatile economy characterised by price escalations, multi-tier system, distressing drought as well as the devastating effects of Cyclone Idai.”
The report presents progress report on project implementation under the second 100 day programme of the Second Republic of Zimbabwe and covers the period 28 February 2019 and June 7, 2019.
The report is a triangulation of the executive electronic dashboard whole of Government report, ministry reports and reports from public service commission inspectorate.
Prioritisation of the projects was based on factors that include direct contribution to the transitional stabilisation programme ( TSP), alignment to sustainable development goals 2063, linkage with ministries’ strategic plans, compliance with Cabinet guidelines, circulars and templates and compliance to selection criteria; where projects must be citizen centric, impactful, rapidly implantable and low risk nature.
In terms of aligning projects to the TSP, the Government’s short-term economic reconstruction and stabilisation programme, projects were classified according to their TSP pillar, which promote high productive, agriculture, mining and manufacturing sectors, efficient and stable financial sector, robust infrastructure, innovation and inclusivity.
“Hand-holding and technical backstopping sessions were conducted for the 100-day cycle programme and the supporting electronic information system, the EED to build and strengthen capacities of implementing their focal persons.”
Projects were undertaken across the country’s 10 provinces — Harare 9, Bulawayo 3, Mashonaland West 13, Mashonaland East 18, Mashonaland Central 13, Manicaland 15, Masvingo 15, Matabeleland North 8, Matabeleland South 10, Midlands 10, Head Office 19 and countrywide 16.
OPC said that the targeted project selection was at the discretion of the implementing ministry and any differences are essentially a function of resources available to undertake projects.