Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube and Rosalla Mzacana
WOMEN Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Sithembiso Nyoni has said empowerment of co-operatives is key to sustainable socio-economic transformation.
In a speech read on her behalf by the Registrar of Co-operatives, Mr Thabani Shoko at the belated 2018 International Day of Co-operatives (IDC) celebrations held in Victoria Falls over the weekend, Minister Nyoni said co-operatives have a role to play in the country’s vision for an upper middle income economy by 2030.
“If we’re going to move our economies forward and promote the interests of all citizens in our societies, it is essential that we look at the cooperative movement as a priority sector in economic planning.
Through cooperatives we can create space for people to participate in modern day economic activities thereby fostering development,” she said.
Minister Nyoni said it was worrying that Zimbabweans have succumbed to a consumerist culture of spending without making any savings.
“This isn’t good for them and the nation. We need to save in order to invest. For this reason the ministry is paying special attention to the SACCOS and is capacitating people to save money,” she said.
SACCOS, acronym for Savings and Credit Cooperative Schemes, is one of the many different types of cooperatives.
Minister Nyoni said coopeartives contribute towards GDP of the country and they also complement Government efforts to grow the economy.
She lamented bad publicity, political interference and stringent conditions around the sector and called for a review of some laws governing cooperatives.
Minister Nyoni said co-operatives in housing, agriculture and savings were among those that had made significant contribution to the economy.
“About 165 300 houses were built between 2010 and 2018 countrywide by housing co-operatives while the ministry registered 805 SACCOS, which have become a major tool in employment creation and poverty eradication in the country.
“Agricultural cooperatives also contribute towards development with 64 560 tonnes of maize and 27 240 tonnes of tobacco being produced hence taking a stand in the Command Agriculture programme,” said Minister Nyoni.
Zimbabwe National Cooperative Federation (ZNCF) president Mr Mike Duru bemoaned the low activities within the cooperative movement in the country.
He said this is as a result of unstable economy.
Mr Duru however said the sector has been successful in some instances because of the environment ushered in by the new political administration.
He said at the moment the sector is being affected by price hikes and foreign currency shortages.
“We kindly ask our Government to stop this madness so that we continue doing our business. I urge all co-operators to work hard in all sectors and contribute meaningfully to our GDP,” he said.
Victoria Falls Mayor Councillor Somveli Dlamini said cooperatives play a critical role in the resort town’s economy by providing a variety of goods and services to tourists.
The celebrations were marked by a clean-up exercise on Friday and a march from Chinotimba to the venue at the Victoria Falls Municipality grounds.
There was also a ground-breaking ceremony for construction of a play centre in Chinotimba courtesy of ZNCF’s corporate social responsibility.
IDC is celebrated annually by the cooperative movement and the United Nations.
The Day is meant to underscore the contribution of cooperatives in resolving global socio-economic issues.
The day was set aside in 2007. This year’s theme is: Sustainable consumption and production of goods and services.”
— @ncubeleon
-@ro_sa_lla
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