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Midlands Bureau
Minister of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, Francis Nhema, has urged traditional leaders to engage mining companies in their respective areas so that they contribute money to the Community Share Ownership Scheme Fund.
He said chiefs should not wait for the government to engage the mines as that might take long thereby prejudicing communities that are supposed to benefit from exploitation of their natural resources.
Said Minister Nhema:
“As chiefs, you should identify the mines that operate in your areas and engage them on issues to do with Community Share Ownership Trusts/Schemes. Here in Shurugwi, you need to engage other companies that are not yet part of this indiginisation drive. You know these companies, they operate in your area so you should not wait for us to engage them first”.
Minister Nhema was speaking at the official handover of the $550,000 Shungudzevhu Irrigation Project on Friday in Chief Nhema’s area.
The establishment of the 21-hectare irrigation project was funded by Unki Mines as part of its community projects.
Minister Nhema said the irrigation schemes enabled people to cultivate crops even in drought prone areas.
He said the Unki Mines project was in line with the government’s economic blue print, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transmission, (ZimAsset) which emphasised the need to enhance food security and beneficiation of minerals.
“We have been waiting for many years as the government for Unki Mines to give us boreholes which they had promised us. I am happy that today they have done that. My appeal now is to the three chiefs in Shurugwi to work together. You should not fight among yourselves. If you have differences, you should engage one another. You should celebrate each other’s successes,” said Minister Nhema.
He said it was the government’s hope to see projects like Shungudzevhu established in other areas.
Minister Nhema urged beneficiaries of the irrigation project to safeguard the infrastructure.
“We should work as a team. Don’t hide minutes of meetings, inputs or cash from one another. We want other communities to learn from your project. Run it as a business model. You should now stop complaining if Unki Mines employ workers from outside Shurugwi because you are now employers in your own right,” said Minister Nhema.
He said the mine had also agreed to set up a vocational training centre for skills development that targets youths who fail to excel academically.
He also appealed to Unki management to identify 10 able members of Shungudzevhu Irrigation project and train them in business entrepreneurship.
Minister Nhema commended the Tongogara Rural District Community Share Ownership Scheme/Trust for spearheading development in Shurugwi together with Unki Mines.
“The Tongogara Scheme is the best run in the country followed by Zimplants and Zvishavane CSOS/T (which received its seed money from Mimosa mines). I, however, want to take this opportunity to warn members from abusing the trust funds. The funds are meant for development not for your sitting allowances. Construct more new roads or maintain the existing ones using these funds,” he said.
The Shungudzevhu Irrigation project has 107 members and sustains 37 households mainly drawn from Shurugwi’s village 6 and 17.
Former Midlands Governor, Dr Cephas Msipa, said it was his wish to see similar development projects like Shungudzevhu Irrigation scheme being spread to all areas of the country.
“I know as Shurugwi people you really want to see your district develop but as a former governor and the first minister of State responsible for indigenisation, my dream is to see Zimbabwe developing. We can only develop as a nation if we remain united,” he said.
Online Reporter