Online Reporter
The Herald, 3 July 1981
CONTROL and ownership of the country’s economic resources must be in the hands of Zimbabwe nationals, Mr Moton Malianga, Deputy Minister of Economic Planning and Development, said yesterday.
He told the CZI congress that unless this was achieved within a reasonable period, “we will have succeeded in creating conditions of revolution and political and economic instability to the detriment of the country and industry”.
“Past policies on training and staff promotion in industry and, indeed, the whole economy, have been biased in favour of a minority of the population, and expatriate personnel.
“As part of the programme to redress existing imbalances, the Government will adopt policies that will encourage the training and upgrading of local personnel, particularly black Zimbabweans.”
Mr Malianga was one of several Cabinet Ministers who spoke on a wide range of industrial and financial issues at a question-and-answer session of the congress.
The Minister of Industry and Energy Development, Mr Simba Makoni, told the congress that the Government still had no clear picture of the “fate and future” of the Feruka oil refinery at Umtali. The re-commissioning of the refinery had turned out to be “pretty complex”.
A consultant’s report commissioned by the refinery consortium had not been made available to the Government until it had been virtually demanded.
“We are still very busy studying this very detailed economic document,” he said. “I do not know whether the refinery is to be rehabilitated,” he said.
“The Prime Minister has said that the refinery would not be allowed to go down to dust, but we are still assessing the situation.”
Lessons for Today:
The control and ownership of a country’s economic resources should be in the hands of its nationals. This is crucial for ensuring that the benefits of economic activities are distributed among the local population and for maintaining political and economic stability.
Past policies that favoured a minority and expatriate personnel created significant imbalances. It is essential to adopt policies that promote the training and advancement of local personnel, particularly those who have been historically marginalised.
Encouraging the training and upgrading of local personnel is vital for building a skilled workforce that can drive the country’s economic development. This helps in reducing dependency on foreign expertise and promotes self-sufficiency.
The involvement of various stakeholders, including Government officials and industry leaders, in discussions about economic and industrial issues is important for creating comprehensive and effective policies.
