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Midlands Bureau
Some 86 solar-powered boreholes have been commissioned in Midlands rural areas in line with the Second Republic’s modernisation and industrialisation thrust for a borehole in every village and school.
Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Owen Ncube said during the commissioning a solar-powered borehole in Ndaruza ward 2 Chirumanzu on Tuesday that this was the 86th such borehole.
“It is an honour for me to grace the commissioning of Ndaruza borehole, which is one of Midlands Province’s completed 86 solar-powered boreholes established in line with the Second Republic’s rural industrialisation and infrastructure development designed to achieve an upper middle-income society earlier than 2030 as envisioned by President Mnangagwa,” he said.
Ndaruza borehole underscored the New Dispensation’s inclusive development approach that improved the livelihoods of rural communities through access to potable water as well as sanitation for all, guided by the mantra of leaving no one and no place behind.
The Minister said the rural-urban divide where piped water and electricity were only available for urban communities was now bridged as the Second Republic had improved access to modern infrastructure and utilities for marginalised communities through the provision of mini solar grids, bio-gas digesters, mobile solar units and piped water schemes.
“In this regard, the Ndaruza borehole demonstrates the Second Republic’s commitment to integrate rural livelihoods with the broader industrialisation value chains underpinned by our comparative advantages in locally available natural resources and human capital,” he said.
The new borehole enhanced livelihoods as it supports 28 families with water for livestock, horticulture and domestic use.
“The borehole is fully equipped with five X 55 watt solar panels, a pressure pump and two by 5,000-litre drip-tec tanks enough to sustain food self-sufficiency and security for the community,” he said.
Minister Ncube said that based on gender roles, women constitute the majority of beneficiaries of Government interventions.
“I wish to express my profound appreciation to the First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa for supporting the empowerment of women, especially the girl child and widows through the recently launched Provincial Widows Association, Agric for She, She-tech and the ZOU Skills development programme that complement the Second Republic’s Rural Modernisation and Industrialisation Policy, which has seen the establishment of tangible projects, among them the massive irrigation development such as Mutange in Gokwe South, Biri in Mberengwa, Holy-Cross Dam Irrigation Scheme and Hamamavhaire Irrigation Scheme here in Chirumanzu,” said Minister Ncube.
Online Reporter