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Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
President Mugabe has assigned Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko to go on a fact-finding mission to assess major national projects and see how they can be harnessed to transform the country’s economic fortunes under Zim-Asset’s 10-Point Plan.
VP Mphoko, who is also in charge of policy implementation in Government, confirmed the assignment during an interview at his Munhumutapa Offices last week. The assignment is in line with the Government’s efforts to meet Zim-Asset targets as guided by the 10-Point Plan enunciated by President Mugabe in Parliament during his State of the Nation Address.
Although he said he was impressed by the potential the country had, VP Mphoko said he could not share details of his countrywide tour before briefing his principal.
“My trips around the country are specifically prescribed by the President, and I have sat down with him,” he said. “I am going to give a full report, and you know normally that is the procedure if you have been sent by the principal. The work (that) belongs to the principal, belongs to the principal, but you will definitely know what is happening.
“But it is very interesting for me, for instance. It is an eye opener. There are quite a number of things. I have seen the potential throughout the country.” The countrywide tour had seen VP Mphoko visiting projects in the provinces.
In Mashonaland West, VP Mphoko visited several projects including the multi-billion dollar Great Dyke Investments project, a joint venture between the Government of Zimbabwe and Russia. VP Mphoko also visited other projects in Mashonaland Central and Manicaland provinces.
In his State of the Nation Address, President Mugabe outlined a 10-Point Plan which cuts across all key economic enablers. It is now incumbent upon individual ministries to operationalise the 10-Point Plan in line with Zim-Asset targets by way of initiating capital projects beneficial to the State.
Some of the ministries that have already hit the ground running include Information, Media and Broadcasting Services; Information Communication and Technology and Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.
The ministries have rolled out life-changing projects that are set to create thousands of jobs and fiscal space for the country. Some of the projects include a housing scheme targeting 313 000 houses by 2018, robust fibre optic backbone cabling for reliable Internet connectivity, and an employment zone underpinned on digital broadcasting.
Other ministries are yet to pronounce projects they have lined up in this respect. Presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba on Monday said that it was important to note that the 10-Point Plan was not a new policy document, but just gave political direction to Government.
Online Reporter