dyton mupawaenda
Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent
As Zimbabwe is standing on the cusp of economic boom, entrepreneurs are playing a central role as Zimbabwe’s commodity market is becoming prominent at global level, Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Monica Mutsvangwa has said.
Speaking at the second annual National Iconic Awards, Minister Mutsvangwa said the country was poised to make a mark as it begins to produce highly sought after commodities and metals.
Minister Mutsvangwa said entrepreneurs needed to grasp the import of the new economy being spawned by President Mnangagwa which bears all the hallmarks of versatility, sustainability and innovation.
She said the micro, small and medium enterprises including those in the informal sector were a crucial component of the country’s economy. “This sector plays a significant role in driving economic growth, creating employment opportunities and fostering innovation.”
“According to the 2021 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) survey, there are 3.4 million MSMEs operating in Zimbabwe employing 4.8 million people on full time basis. The 2022 Finscope survey indicates that MSMEs have a critical role to play in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“The MSMEs are in various sectors, gold mining being one of the sectors with a number of MSMEs operating as small scale miners. This sector is contributing about 66 percent of the national gold haul of 40 tonnes per annum.”
Minister Mutsvangwa said Government recognised the critical role played by the MSME sector and her Ministry remains committed to supporting the sector in driving production, productivity and profitability of the sector.
“This is a new paradigm for our country as we begin to appreciate the scope and scale in our national economic endeavours. From this angle, it becomes easy to visualise the palpability of Vision 2030 and the prospects of attaining the middle-income status.”
West Properties chief executive officer Mr Ken Sharpe said the true potential of Zimbabwe lies in its people.
“We need to go through pain before we get the gain. The foundation that we have in business is that we have a vision and a mission.
“The business plan and mission statement are good but you need to have a strategic statement and our strategic statement is that we are going to put one billion bricks on the ground by 2050 providing beautiful apartments. We have faith in the future of Zimbabwe and we are bringing Dubai to Zimbabwe.”
Mr Sharpe said so far builders have laid 6 million bricks on the ground which is
6 percent of their targeted one billion bricks by 2050.
“Looking into the future is so important and we believe in goal execution. You need to have the courage to step up and get going on things that you do.”
Ms Tsitsi Mutendi, president of the Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa said it was critical for entrepreneurs to create transgenerational wealth.
“As entrepreneurs, we have acquired knowledge and experience and we need to pass them to future generations. We need to teach future generations how to create and manage their own businesses because identifying and grooming future leaders is critical in transgenerational wealth,” she said.
Among the winners at the awards was prominent educationist Dr Tendesai Mushamba’s Champion International College which scooped a gold prize in the education and learning category.
Online Reporter