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Thandeka Matebesi, Sunday News Reporter
EVERY household in Matabeleland North will have access to gas, electricity and piped water by 2030, the Minister of State for Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs Cde Cain Mathema has said.
In his welcome address at the ground breaking ceremony of Hwange Thermal Power Station Units 7 and 8 projects officiated by President Mnangagwa on Wednesday, Cde Mathema said the rate at which power projects were taking shape in the country and Matabeleland North in particular, there was no reason this could not be achieved.
“Only brave, patriotic and revolutionary leaders will lead us to beyond 2030 when every household and every farmer will say we all now have piped water, and we all now have gas. In those days everyone will be using electricity and gas for lighting, cooking and other domestic use,” he said.
Cde Mathema said Matabeleland North, and Hwange in particular was providing at least 40 percent of the electricity consumed in Zimbabwe and hence he was optimistic that by 2030 every home and every farm or field in the province would be using electricity and gas.
“We are also eagerly waiting for the day when Matabeleland North will be the centre of the country’s petro-chemical industry and supplying gas to every building in every corner of Zimbabwe as well as exporting it all over the world,” he said.
President Mnangagwa, speaking during the ground breaking ceremony, said the country needed substantial investment in the energy sector to meet continued demand for power to propel economic growth through industrialisation.
He said adequate supply of electricity was a pre-requisite for economic growth and sustainable socio-economic development.
Cde Mathema said there were also some projects that were still to be undertaken among them the tarring of Bulawayo-Nkayi-Manoti Road, widening and tarring of Bulawayo-Tsholotsho Road, drilling of boreholes and construction of dams all over the province by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority and the District Development Fund.
“All these projects will create ripples that will lead to an incredible multiplier effect, for example they will create more employment and lead to the establishment of many sectoral factories and enhance development of tourism, the beef industry, the leather industry, for the commercial sector, the timber and furniture industry, and the education and training and empowerment of the youth, the disabled, and will take care of the socio-psychologically challenges faced by our people”, he said.
Cde Mathema also expressed gratitude towards President Mnangagwa’s call for peace during the harmonised elections set for 30 July.
@DephnyMatebesi
Bongani Ndlovu
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