‘$500m needed to complete outstanding projects’

Joel Gabbuza said.
In an interview on the sidelines of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s tour of Government projects in Gwanda last Friday, Minister Gabbuza said allocation to the outstanding projects will be done in order of priority.
“We have categorised these projects by order of priority,” said Minister Gabbuza.
He said the only way to complete these projects without putting unnecessary pressure on the Treasury was to undertake the work in phases.
“We will consider the cost of completing each project and those which need less than $200 000 to complete will be given priority,” said Minister Gabbuza.
Some of the incomplete projects date back to the 1990s and they include the National University of Science and Technology (Nust), Mpilo Mortuary and Filabusi Registry, among others.
“The projects that require more money will be our second priority,” he said.
Minister Gabbuza said it made no sense for Government to concentrate on a project that is for example 50 percent complete, leaving out a project which is 95 percent complete.
“Logically projects that need more money will be dealt with at a later stage when we have raised enough money,” he said.
He said it was difficult for his ministry to access funds to complete a number of projects for the different ministries.
“The problem we have is that money for projects are given to particular ministries yet it is my ministry which is supposed to undertake the work.
“We have a situation whereby money for constructing for example a hospital is given to the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, this is not appropriate because it is the Ministry of Public Works that deals with construction.
In this regard many projects remain incomplete because of this arrangement,” said Minister Gabbuza.
He said there was urgent need to change the system to speed up implementation of projects.
Speaking during the tour, Prime Minister Tsvangirai pledged Government’s commitment to speeding up completion of outstanding projects.
“Now that we have seen the level of work being done so far and the amount of work needed, we will be able to come up with lasting solutions to these challenges,” said PM Tsvangirai.
He attributed the $500 million funding backlog to the economic challenges endured by the country in 2008 and 2009.
“During that time everything came to a stand- still, but now that the Inclusive Government is heading towards stabilising the economy, we should see progress on these projects,” he said.
He said each ministry had a set target of projects that it had to complete before the end of next year.
Prime Minister Tsvangirai and his delegation toured the unfinished Gwanda Magistrates Court building, Gwanda Provincial Hospital, Filabusi District Hospital among other projects in Matabeleland South.
Before visiting Gwanda, Mr Tsvangirai had also toured some Government projects in Beitbridge.