Chief demands employment of locals at cement plant

Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
THE president of Chiefs Council, Chief Fortune Charumbira says a Chinese company that is set to open a cement plant in Masvingo should employ locals and ensure that villagers do not have health complications due to pollution. The company, Xhing Xhong cement is scheduled to set up a plant in Chief Charumbira’s area in Masvingo before the end of the year.

Chief Charumbira said traditional leaders and local government leaders were in support of the project.

He said the company should give priority to local villagers in terms of job opportunities for them to appreciate the benefits of having the company in their midst.

He said some villagers would be moved to pave way for the project.

Chief Charumbira said the company should also address the issue of compensation as a matter of urgency so that those affected have normal lives as soon as possible.

“We’ve set some conditions that should be met by the investor, especially to do with the health of the villagers given that cement can cause health challenges. They should ensure that villagers won’t be in danger,” said Chief Charumbira.

He said the company should also spell out its corporate responsibility so that its contribution to the development of the area, province and nation is known.

“We want to see villagers getting jobs so that they see the benefit since it’s inevitable that some would be moved to yet to be identified land. We expect more villagers to get employment and improve their livelihoods thus reducing poverty given that most haven’t harvested anything from their fields,” he said.

Chief Charumbira said the local leadership had given the investors the green light to start operations and expectations were high that very soon there will be meaningful activities on the ground.

“I’m informed that the company has reached an agreement with the powers that be. Very soon, the project will be starting given that investors were scheduled to have the final meeting to discuss final modalities of the whole process,” he said.

“The headmen, village heads and councillors have welcomed this important development initiative in the country and the political leadership is also behind it. China has always been one of our best partners in business and I hope they’ll live up to our expectations in meeting the conditions that we’ve set.”