Empowerment board regional offices to open next month

NIEEB public relations and communications manager Ms Grace Tsvakanyi said the offices would be opened on 1 February.

“Mashonaland Central offices are situated at Bindura Commercial Centre, office setting up is in the process and will be open on 1 February.

“The regional manager is currently operating from Head Office. In Manicaland offices are secured in Mutare and the office setup is in the process.

“The offices will be open to the public on 1 February,” she  said, adding that the regional manager was presently operating from the Government Complex under the Ministry of Youth, Indigenisation and Empowerment.

She said in Bulawayo and Matabeleland North and South provinces office set  up was also in progress and would be open to the public on the same date as above.

Ms Tsvakanyi said in Mashonaland East the offices would be opened on 1 February.

“The regional manager is currently operating under the parent Ministry at the Government Complex,” she said.

She said NIEEB offices had been decentralised to ensure that the organisation’s visibility and accessibility to the public to fully implement their mandate by reaching out to all Zimbabweans.

She said the decentralisation would also ensure that NIEEB keeps in line with its values which are excellence, integrity, accountability, social responsibility, patriotism and transparency.

“The decentralisation of NIEEB offices will also ensure broad-based empowerment; promote economic development, job creation, overseeing accelerated rural development, and ownership of the means of resources.”

Ms Tsvakanyi said the decentralisation of their offices was based on the 100 percent total empowerment advocated by President Mugabe.

Few years ago, the Government promulgated the Indigenisation Act to spearhead economic empowerment of indigenous Zimbabweans.

The Act stipulates that foreign-owned entities whose annual turnover exceeds $500 000 must cede 51 percent of their shares to the locals to address the economic disparities that existed during the colonial era.