Give residents top priority: Tawengwa

Blessings Chidakwa

Herald Reporter

Local Government bodies should consistently give residents top priority when it comes to matters that impact them and their development agenda, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Harare Metropolitan Province Charles Tawengwa has said.

Minister Tawengwa said this yesterday at a Harare Provincial Development Committee third quarter session workshop.

“After our 1st PDC meeting, we held a PDC-PCC interface meeting which was organised by the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Devolution in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Lovemore Matuke.

“The meeting raised serious concerns on poor social service delivery in the province from both the local authorities and Government departments among other issues,” he said.

Minister Tawengwa said the major contributor is the archaic public utilities infrastructure and attitude of service providers.

“It was recommended that there was a need to modernise our public utilities infrastructure such as roads, water infrastructure and also training of public office bearers under the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology of which some of you have already attended including directors from my office,” he said.

The platform, Minister Tawengwa added, is key for the province to review progress, share challenges and plan for Harare Metropolitan Province to be the pulse of the nation.

Permanent Secretary for Harare Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Cosmas Chiringa, said the meeting was key to mapping Harare’s development agenda.

“This meeting is key to us as it allows us to take stock of our key milestones, we have planned in our provincial economic development plan for the year 2024 for all the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in the province,” he said.

Chitungwiza Municipality acting town clerk Mr Japson Nemuseso said the forum will, among other issues, contribute to coming up with solutions on the water crisis and how the province can also ameliorate climate change challenges.

“This meeting has come when Chitungwiza is enduring the effects of the El Nino induced drought which was declared as a state of disaster by President Mnangagwa,” he said.

“The drought has actually caused some of our dams, which are Harawa and Seke Dams, to dry up and it is affecting the residents of Chitungwiza as we speak,” he said.