Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Bhebhe, Senior Business Reporter
A TOTAL of 287 projects implemented by the Second Republic across the country’s 10 provinces last year set to transform the country’s economic fortunes are at various stages of completion, the Cabinet has said.
During a post-Cabinet briefing yesterday, acting Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere presented a 2022 annual report on the implementation of a 100-day cycle that outlines various projects.
The capital-intensive projects are already benefiting communities, he said.
“As it may be recalled, the Cabinet constantly kept the nation updated on the implementation of the 100-Day Cycle projects in 2022, during which a total of 287 projects were implemented across the country’s 10 provinces,” said Dr Muswere.
In the mining sector, nine plants are under construction and these will contribute to the attainment of the US$12 billion mining economy.
The projects include the Dinson Colliery Coke Oven Battery Construction in Matabeleland North, Lithium Processing Plant at Sabi Star in Manicaland and Mimosa Mining Company Optimisation of the Concentrator Plant in the Midlands.
Others include Rio Zim Murowa 500 TPH Greenfields Diamond Plant and the establishment of a Ferrochrome Smelter at Amazon in Midlands; and Tshingshan Iron Ore and Chrome/Coke Value Addition Project in Mashonaland East.
The Mimosa and Murowa Diamond Plants are set for commissioning this year, the minister said.
The 2022 Annual Report was presented to Cabinet by the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Monitoring Implementation of Government Programmes, Dr Joram Gumbo.
Turning to agriculture, Minister Muswere noted that in a bid to improve food self-sufficiency, the Government is increasing land under irrigation and procuring agricultural machinery.
He said some of the initiatives include 326 hectares developed under irrigation at Muzvezve and Kanyemba Irrigation Schemes, 350 hectares were cleared for irrigation in the Lowveld Irrigated Agriculture Belt, 98 boreholes drilled for irrigation purposes across the provinces and a total of 429 boreholes were drilled under the Presidential Borehole Drilling Programme.
Dr Muswere said five piped water schemes were completed in Nyamandlovu, Chitida, Muyambi, Ngomahuru and Gonde.
In the period under review, farmers received 330 423 kilogrammes of tick grease, 162 059 chicks were distributed under the Presidential Poultry Pass-on Programme and 995 tractors and 14 combine harvesters delivered under the Belarus Farm Mechanisation Facility Phase 2.
A total of 78 789 ha was put under wheat, he noted.
With regards to manufacturing, he said various projects being implemented in the sector are meant to value-add and beneficiate agriculture and mining products.
“Projects include the installation of state-of-the-art leather processing plant by Zambezi Tanners in Bulawayo, the New Blending Plant and Granulation Plants at ZimPhos in Harare, and the Wheat Milling Plant at Mega Market in Manicaland.”
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