adminUS$47 million it is owed by Government.
Mr Masunda has previously shunned such meetings with the minister insisting that his diary was fully booked and could only attend scheduled meetings in which he is given ample advance notice.
Minister Chombo said the meetings between him, Harare and Chitungwiza to set common ground for service delivery this year will be on a quarterly basis.
“We wanted to remind them that as the year starts they should focus their energies on service delivery. The key issues are street lighting, potholes, refuse removal and water provision,” Minister Chombo said.
He asked both councils to prioritise grass cutting on road verges and in residential areas to contain the breeding of mosquitoes.
He also said the two local authorities should desist from building or allocating residential stands in low-lying areas and on wetlands as these are sources of water.
He said the two councils should apply to Government for land to meet their growing needs.
The minister, who has been touring the city’s high-density suburbs, commended Mr Masunda and his team for improving the city’s cleanliness.
He gave suggestions as to how the city can best manage skip bins saying those at Mbare Musika should be manned.
“The situation is not as bad as last year. I am sure more effort would be put this year,” he said.
He said the city should plant new trees to replace the ageing acacia trees planted several decades ago.
Mr Masunda described the meeting as constructive.
Water Resources and Infrastructure Development Minister Sipepa Nkomo, who briefly attended the meeting, said both ministers had complemented efforts to improve service delivery given the city’s tight budget.
He said Government debt has been reduced from US$70 million to US$47 million.
Said Mr Masunda: “I am immensely relieved about the joint pledge, which was made by Ministers Chombo and Nkomo to assist us with the recovery of amounts which may be owed by Government departments from time to time.
Mr Masunda said the scheduled quarterly meetings suit the Harare team instead of the unstructured ad hoc sessions which tend to ramble on ad nauseam.
Online Reporter