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Munyaradzi Musiiwa Midlands Correspondent
The government will soon avail stands for civil servants countrywide to solve accommodation challenges for its workers, chairman of the Apex Council, Richard Gundani has said. In an interview on the sidelines of the national commemorations of the Civil Service Day in Shurugwi on Friday, Gundani said the Apex Council and government had started identifying land to be converted into residential stands for civil servants.
He said government committed itself in January this year to avail residential stands to civil servants as well as providing institutional accommodation.
“We are aware that there are isolated efforts being implemented by the government throughout the country to address accommodation challenges. However, those projects benefited a few people. The government in January agreed to come up with a big scheme, which was going to avail stands and institutional accommodation to civil servants.
“Within the next 30 days, we are going to meet government so that we start rolling out the programme. We had a national joint negotiating council meeting last week and government indicated at the meeting that it had started identifying land for the stands with the help of local authorities,” he said.
On Friday, government availed 500 housing stands in Shurugwi for civil servants in the Midlands, which were officially handed over to Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Nicholas Goche by River Valley Properties chief executive officer, Smelly Dube.
Gundani commended government for remaining committed to improving civil servants working conditions as well as remunerations despite the economic challenges facing the country.
He said civil servants were obliged to reciprocate the government’s gesture by efficiently executing their duties and help revive the economy.
“The government has shown commitment to improving the conditions of service for civil servants as well as protecting civil servants by defying the IMF which had recommended downsizing of the workforce. The government insisted on maintaining its workforce and managed to review our salaries upwards,” he said.
Gundani said civil servants were aware of the country’s economic situation and would not make selfish demands.
Online Reporter