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the multi-million Lupane offices to the Matabeleland North registry.
People from the province have all along been forced to travel to Bulawayo to get passports and other documents as the Bulawayo Registry was the only one with such a facility.
With the official handover having been done, the provincial staff that are operating from Bulawayo would soon be moving to the new offices.
The offices have been under construction for more than a decade and during the tour of the building yesterday, officers from the Ministry of Home Affairs noted that there was a need to polish up some of the fittings to the building.
They also expressed concern that the offices do not have a perimeter fence and urged the Ministry of Public Works to speedily erect the fence.
Speaking before the signing of the technical handover-takeover certificate, the Provincial Administrator for Matabeleland North, Ms Latiso Dlamini, said she was happy that the offices have finally been completed and were ready.
She noted that some Government departments that have already moved to the provincial capital were presently crowded at the District Administrator’s offices.
“With the completion of these offices it means some people will now move out of the DA’s offices and create more space for others,” she said.
Mr Cloud Chigova, a construction officer in the Department of Works, said the department would talk to the contractor, who has since moved out of the site due to non-payment of some of his money, to ensure that the areas that needed touch ups were attended to as soon as possible.
The Provincial Registrar for Matabeleland North Province, Mr Willard Sayenda, said his department was ready to move into the new offices.
He, however, said there could be a delay in relocating to Lupane because there is a need to secure accommodation for his 22 staff members.
Mr Chigova said the department has completed the construction of 20 Government houses in Lupane and urged the director of Human Resources and Policy Planning in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr Thomas Pasipamire to discuss the issue of housing with officials from the Ministry of Housing and Social Amenities.
The ministry is responsible for all Government immovable properties while the Department of Works does all the maintenance work.
Online Reporter