Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
PLANS are underway to craft a provincial development blueprint for Matabeleland North, which will assist the province to harness its vast natural resources and transform its economy in line with the national vision.
Matabeleland North boasts of vast natural resources ranging from forests, gold and coal deposits, methane gas, tin, wildlife, water and fish.
The province surprisingly is ranked among the least developed in the country in terms of major infrastructure and the general standard of living.
Only Hwange and Victoria Falls have standard urban infrastructure while other districts are largely rural. Matabeleland North is poised for robust development following massive investment in coal mining, power generation, housing and tourism sectors.
The Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa is pushing hard for the implementation of its devolution policy which promotes the exploitation of local resources to develop the provinces.
Through the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Richard Moyo and the Provincial Development Co-ordinator, Mrs Sithandiwe Ncube, the province is working on a draft development plan, which will guide implementation of key projects in the province.
In line with the National Development Strategy (NDS1:2021-2025) and Vision 2030, the provincial plan would identify available resources and opportunities as well as challenges in implementing the development projects.
Mrs Ncube told stakeholder representatives at a recent meeting in Hwange that having a provincial development plan was critical. She also invited potential investors and business leaders to come on board. A five-day workshop will be held in Victoria Falls before the end of this month to work on the development plan.
“We are going to have a workshop in Victoria Falls from 30 May to 3 June and the main purpose will be to craft a provincial economic development plan,” she said.
“Participants would include all provincial stakeholders, private sector, parastatals, traditional leaders, provincial councillors and local authorities.”
Mrs Ncube said the plan will be guided by NDS1 thematic areas.
“The workshop will prioritise thematic areas as it drafts the development plan. After that the plan will be launched as the provincial development blueprint which will guide the province in its drive to grow the economy,” she said.
President Mnangagwa’s administration has tasked each of the country’s 10 provinces to identify resources and opportunities in their areas and come up with strategies on how these could be harnessed for the broader good of the economy. — @ncubeleon.
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