Online Reporter
Government has once again reaffirmed its commitment to completing legacy infrastructure projects it initiated in Matabeleland South Province ahead of this year’s Independence Day celebrations.
The province played host to this year’s National Independence Celebrations and as is policy, Government is implementing a number of legacy projects across the province.
Provinces take turns to host the National Independence Celebrations and each province comes up with priority projects it wants implemented as it hosts the Uhuru National celebrations.
Last Friday Vice President Kembo Mohadi toured several legacy projects being implemented in Matabeleland South to check on the progress and once again reaffirmed Government’s commitment to completing the projects. The projects covering sectors such as agriculture, education, health, transport, sport and the arts, are meant to accelerate the province’s economic growth thereby improving the people’s livelihoods.
The infrastructure projects include construction of classrooms, science laboratories, teachers’ houses, clinics, bridges and roads. Some of the projects were completed before the country celebrated its 46th Independence at Maphisa Business Centre in Matobo district. VP Mohadi toured among other projects, the Bulawayo-Maphisa Road which is undergoing rehabilitation.
A lot of ground has been covered along this road but communities are appealing to Government to accelerate the rehabilitation work so that it is completed before the onset of the rains. The other legacy project which communities are saying should be completed before the start of the rains is the Gwanda-Maphisa Road which connects several districts and links important economic hubs such as the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) Antelope Estate, Makwe Irrigation Scheme, two border posts and tourist attractions in the Matobo Hills area.
The completion of the road will significantly reduce travel time between Gwanda and surrounding districts, particularly Matobo district. The other projects visited by Cde Mohadi include Mahetshe
Primary and Secondary schools, Maphisa Stadium and the School of Nursing at Maphisa District Hospital.
At Mahetshe Primary School, Government constructed eight classrooms, two Early Childhood Development blocks and eight teachers’ houses. Government also constructed a 700 seater hall at
Mahetshe Secondary School, an A-level block, computer laboratory, staff toilets an administration block and teachers houses. Government has made a commitment to complete most of the legacy projects before the end of this year and there is therefore a need to accelerate work if this target is to be met.
There is a need to avail more resources to enable those working on the projects to accelerate the implementation and complete works before the start of the rains. The legacy projects are part of the
Government’s decentralisation strategy meant to ensure no place and no one is left behind as each province benefits as it hosts the National Independence celebrations. We want to once again implore Government to avail more resources to enable teams working on the roads to accelerate the implementation of the road works which have to be completed before the onset of the rains.
