Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
GOVERNMENT has lined up major infrastructural development projects for Matabeleland North which should transform the face of the province in the next five years.
The projects which include roads, dams, schools, health centres and irrigation schemes are within the National Development Strategy NDS 1 (2021-2025) economic blueprint.
Government towards the end of last year launched NDS1 which it said would lay the foundation towards the country becoming an upper-middle income by 2030.
In Matabeleland North, Government is in the process of rehabilitating Bulawayo-Nkayi Road, Bulawayo-Tsholotsho Road and Fighting Road connecting Kwekwe-Lupane and Tsholotsho.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said substantial amounts of money have been budgeted for the implementation of the development projects in the province.
Prof Ncube said some of the projects should be completed within two years.
He outlined the Government projects in Lupane on Sunday during a Zanu-PF Provincial Co-ordinating Committee meeting whose intention was to inform party members about projects being implemented by Government.
Prof Ncube said Government was on course towards achieving currency stability which is critical towards economic stability.
He said a stable economy is a springboard for Government’s ability to implement infrastructural development projects with some of them set to be achieved by the end of next year.
Prof Ncube said Government was working around the clock to ensure that the Gwayi-Shangani Dam is completed by the end of next year while some projects will be completed before 2025.
“I want to read on some of the projects that we have budgeted for the next two years in Matabeleland North. But we will continue adding new projects as we move towards 2025. Some of the projects that we have budgeted for are Lupane Composite Office Phase Two which we have allocated $212 million and we have already disbursed $64,1 million. Gwayi-Shangani-Bulawayo pipeline $500 million, Ziminya Dam in Nkayi $250 million, Binga Air Strip which is under District Development Fund (DDF) we have disbursed $100 million, Tsholotsho Nursing School $70 million, Lupane Provincial Hospital $500 million, Staff Housing in Lupane, $24,4 million,” he said.
Prof Ncube said Government has also budgeted $170 million for the construction of Lupane State University faculty of humanities building block and $70 million for the Victoria Falls Control Tower Airport.
Other projects in Government’s radar include the construction of lecture blocks for the provincial teachers’ college situated in Hwange where 70 million has been allocated for the project.
He said it was important for Government to invest in the education sector as knowledge should transform societies.
“I’ve written 14 economic books, but I know that it will be useless just to have those books when they do not lead to the transformation of people’s lives at grassroots levels. That is why I came back to join the Government so that I can be practical in assisting the people,” he said.
“So, to uplift skills, we have to uplift our universities so that they don’t just become silos in our communities, they should be involved in research, innovation hence we are constructing innovation hubs within our universities. Even when you go LSU it is also building an innovation hub which will the country in beneficiation of our resources.”
He said Government has also budgeted funds to improve water supplies in Inyathi and Dete while water parastatals have been provided with funds to drill boreholes in communal areas.
“We gave a lot of money to Zimbabwe National Water Authority and DDF for the drilling of boreholes and this is very very important. We have said Zinwa is going to get eight new drilling rigs and DDF 10 new rigs so that they drill boreholes across the country,” he said.
Government has also allocated Matabeleland North $1,5 billion for devolution projects with local authorities in the province each expected to receive an allocation to improve service delivery. — @nqotshili
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