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Pamela Shumba Senior Reporter
THIRTEEN Cabinet ministers meet in Bulawayo today for a crisis indaba on the slow pace of development in the Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South provinces.
Delegates from the three provinces will hold discussions with the high-powered ministerial team on problems afflicting the region.
Cde Simon Khaya Moyo, the Senior Minister of State in the President’s Office, will attend the meeting together with ministers Cdes Patrick Chinamasa (Finance), Francis Nhema (Youth), Obert Mpofu (Transport), Walter Chidhakwa (Mining), Dzikamai Mavhaire (Energy), Douglas Mombeshora (Lands), Sithembiso Nyoni (SMEs) and Saviour Kasukuwere (Environment).
Provincial Ministers of State, Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo (Bulawayo), Cain Mathema (Mat-North) and Abedinico Ncube (Mat-South) would also attend.
Professor Callistus Ndlovu, Zanu-PF’s Bulawayo provincial chairman, said the ministers were expected to explain how their ministries will tackle specific problems affecting provinces in Matabeleland region.
“It’s an event that has been organised to enlighten the provinces on what they should expect from different ministries in relation to Zim-Asset [government’s economic blueprint],” he said.
“The ministers should explain how their ministries or how the clusters they’re in charage of will tackle the problems in different provinces.”
He said each province should remain with a clear picture of how they will benefit from different ministries and when certain programmes would be launched.
“Each province has its own challenges and this means that the ministers have to come up with different strategies to solve these challenges and coming up with different programmes to overcome the different situations and bring development to the people,” said Prof Ndlovu.
“The seminar will also be attended by affiliate associations, such as the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association, as we try to embark on resuscitation programmes for the provinces in the Matabeleland region.”
Zanu-PF Mat-South provincial chair and Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Cde Andrew Langa said today’s meeting was crucial.
“We’re going to put our heads together and look at how best we can improve the economy for the region. The reason why we are meeting as a region is because problems affecting Bulawayo also affect other regions,” he said.
“As Mat-South, we want to hear issues about mining and livestock production.”
Mat-North provincial chairman Cde Richard Moyo could not be reached on his mobile phone.
Bulawayo is facing a number of socio-economic problems with de-industrialisation being blamed for loss of jobs, unemployment and poor living standards.
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