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Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT will strive to continue and sustain its efforts in undertaking extensive infrastructural development projects through the construction, upgrading and rehabilitation of roads to enhance the transportation of goods and people under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Program (ERRP), Transport and infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona has said.
The minister said this while addressing parastatals at the ministry’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) cocktail party on Thursday.
He said the objective of the cocktail party was to share experiences, re-energise and focus each other on their shared goal and development priorities, among others.
“This occasion also provides us with an evaluative platform where we receive feedback on how we are performing in terms of delivering on our mandate. This is notwithstanding the fact that there is in existence the Whole of Government Performance Management Information System which encompasses an Electronic Executive Dashboard.
“It is in this spirit that we feel greatly honoured that the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair is being held under a befitting theme of ‘Rethink, Reimagine, Reinvent Strengthening Value Chains for Economic Development’. The theme behoves on all of us to adopt the spirit of thinking, planning and acting creatively so that we deliver value to our clients and stakeholders as well as poise us towards the attainment of our national Goals and outcomes as stated in the National Development Strategy (NDS1),” he said.
Minister Mhona added, “I also want to take this opportunity to assure you all that as a ministry we will continue to strive to do all in our power to live up to this spirit and to continue with that spirit beyond this trade fair. We will strive to continue and sustain our efforts in undertaking extensive Infrastructural Development projects through the construction, upgrading and rehabilitation of our roads to enhance the transportation of goods and people. We also aim to boost accessibility through the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP) which is now in phase two.”
He also took the opportunity to shed light on some of the progress they were making towards contributing to the attainment of the national vision of a Prosperous and Empowered Upper Middle Income Society by the year 2030.
“As of this 9th cycle in the 100-day program, the following significant milestones have been achieved on our five prioritised projects: Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport: We are making significant progress on the project which currently stands at 61 percent. This flagship project will greatly aid us in achieving our planned outcomes of increased handling capacity and convenience to our travelling public.
“Beitbridge Border Post Upgrading and Modernisation project: This project is being undertaken in phases. Phase 2 of the project involves the construction of Bus Terminal, Access Roads and Warehouses. Under this phase a significant number of targets have been achieved. Access roads are now almost complete and the construction of scanner facilities is in progress,” he said.
On the Harare-Marondera Road dualisation project Minister Mhona said the construction of 6km of road was planned and to date 3km has been completed as construction works are progressing well and their target is expected to be achieved by the end of the cycle period.
He said the Masotsha Ndlovu Road in Harare involves 6.9km of road rehabilitation, where to date 5km of the road has been completed and opened to traffic. The remaining 1.9km is outstanding and progressing well.
“On Harare-Beitbridge upgrading road: I am proud to state that this project succinctly captures our aspiration of utilising local resources and empowerment of our own local companies. To that end, five local contractors were engaged to work on this project and to date 300km of road has been opened to traffic whist work on the outstanding portions is progressing well.
“However, there are also other institutions which under the Ministry’s purview which require mentioning because of their contribution to our success. The Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (ZINARA), deserves mention for providing resources utilized in the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme and construction of tollgate upgrading,” Minister Mhona said.
He commended Inland Waters Control for the effort in infrastructural initiative for Tugwi-Mukosi Dam as this will go a long way in improving safety on inland water ways.
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