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Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau
THE Midlands Province has received the $41,6 million it was allocated in the 2019 National Budget for devolution programmes.
Addressing stakeholders during the Midlands Devolution Conference at a local lodge on Friday, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo said Government was committed to seeing the success of the devolution exercise and had dispersed $320 million to provincial councils.
He said rural district councils and urban councils in the Midlands province had been allocated about $41, 6 million – money he said should be used to push socio-economic growth of the province.
“Chirumhanzu RDC will get about $1,6 million, Gokwe North and South RDC’s $1,4 and $2,3 respectively, Zibagwe $2,1 million, Mberengwa $1,3 million, Tongogara $2,4 million, Runde $2,8 million, Gweru $3,4 million, Kwekwe $4 million, Redcliff $4,8 million, Zvishavane $4,8 million, Gokwe Town $4,7 million and Shurugwi $4,8 million.
‘‘The funds released to these urban and rural local authorities are for development and they are an indication or commitment by the Government to see the success of devolution,” said Min Moyo.
“The allocation of the funds was done in line with the needs of specific local authorities for example the issue of water needs to be addressed in Redcliff and the issue of sewer rehabilitation needs to be addressed in Zvishavane and that is why they are getting different amounts.”
Minister Moyo said devolution is captured in two chapters of the Constitution namely Chapter 2 which deals with the political arrangements and Chapter 14 which deals with the financial provisions.
He said the new dispensation has seen it fit to follow the provisions of the 2013 constitution which provided for the decentralisation of the country’s wealth in each province with the community actively participating in the development matrix.
Addressing the same conference, the Minister of Industry and Commerce Mangaliso Ndhlovu said transferring responsibilities and resources from national Government to provincial and metro councils and local authorities will result in communities managing their own affairs to further their development.
“My ministry is represented in five regions namely Harare, Bulawayo, Masvingo, Midlands and Manicaland and we are planning to establish offices in all provincial centres and districts. Decentralisation will ensure implementation of constitutional provisions relating to devolution. Decentralisation will ensure inclusive and balanced national development,” he said.
Also addressing the same meeting, the deputy Minister for Mines and Mining Development Min Polite Kambamura said his ministry was also working establishing gold buying centres across the country.
He said they were also working on availing mining equipment to artisanal miners for safe and productive mining.
Online Reporter