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Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
THE Government says it is going to prioritise the completion of different infrastructure developmental projects out of the 205 stalled projects falling under the purview of the Public Works Department at the back of an increased fiscal allocation in the 2024 national budget.
The commitment was made by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Dr John Bhasera at a 2024 strategic workshop in Masvingo recently. He said they were going for a re-prioritisation plan which would see the selection of projects which were at 70 percent completion.
They are going to work on them under a phased approach. He said the Government had 44 000 properties and 205 stalled projects under the Public Works Department.
“Public Works has 205 stalled projects. As a ministry we have to come up with a reprioritisation plan, select at least five sensitive projects which are at 70 percent to completion, then finish them off before starting new ones.
“Our actions should leave no local authority behind, no citizen behind, no chieftaincy behind, no province (in light of devolution) behind, whilst leaving no stone unturned. We need to punch above our weight, obviously as a collective. We need to be consistent as consistency builds legacies. It is our responsibility to develop our motherland, and together we can do so much. Teamwork is at the core and at the pith of every endeavour, big or small. What we have achieved gives us hope of what we can do,” said Dr Bhasera.
In pursuit of the realisation of that goal, Treasury has allocated funds to the Ministry of Local Government to spearhead various developmental projects. Presenting the 2024 national budget on Thursday, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said cognisant of the fact that expenditure on infrastructure was an investment in the long-term productivity and competitiveness of an economy, Treasury was allocating funds towards infrastructure.
“An amount of $1,2 trillion has been set aside for the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to spearhead development within communities. The 2024 National Budget has allocated ZW$2,7 trillion (5 percent of projected revenue) under the Inter-Governmental Fiscal Transfers for provinces to undertake local projects that improve provision of public services that reflect the needs of communities in different regions and localities.
“Overall support for infrastructure, including devolution, during 2024 amounts to Z$10 trillion, comprising fiscal support of $8,1 trillion, complemented by statutory and other resources at $1,4 trillion, development partner support of $189,9 billion, as well as loans at $322,2 billion. Government will expand and modernise funding models that broaden the investor base in flexible and innovative ways such as asset recycling and Private Public Partnerships,” said Prof Ncube.
This comes at a time the completion of massive infrastructure projects initiated by Government continue to spur the country’s quest of becoming a middle-income society by 2030. Some of the projects had stalled during the era of the First Republic, but were resuscitated by President Mnangagwa’s administration and have either been completed or are well on course towards completion.
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