The Sunday Mail
Senior Business Reporter
The GOVERNMENT has made significant progress on infrastructure and development projects that are aimed at supporting the basis of economic transformation.
The project’s implementation is monitored by the Government under the 100-day cycle programme which is aimed at improving performance, especially under the current environment characterised by limited resources.
According to last week’s post cabinet brief, several projects under the ministries of Finance and Economic Development; Transport and Infrastructural Development; Energy and Power Development; and Mines and Mining Development, had made significant progress as at Day-50 of the Cycle.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, reported to Cabinet that work is in progress in cascading the International Public Sector Accounting Standards to 15 identified pilot public sector entities.
He said under the Ministry’s resource mobilisation programme, the revenue mobilised surpassed targets as at Day-50 of the Cycle, due to improved business operations as the Covid-19 control measures were relaxed.
“On financial re-engagement, the external payments were fully paid up and budget performance was good, with salaries paid on time and Government programme funding timeously provided,” he said, adding that the amounts disbursed for capital projects exceeded targets.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona, highlighted that the targeted completion of the New Terminal South Wing at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport was 70 percent complete and well on course to meet targets.
He said Phase 1 of the upgrading and modernisation of the Beitbridge Border Post, involving construction of the freight terminal area, warehouse, Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) facilities and freight access is 95 percent complete.
“On the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway, 26km of the targeted 50km were completed and opened to traffic. To date, over 240km of the road have been opened to traffic and general progress is satisfactory,” he said.
Minister Mhona said in Bulawayo, rehabilitation of the targeted 16,5km of Masiyephambili road is on course, with 9,9km having been completed.
Energy and Power Development Minister Zhemu Soda, reported that several construction works are ongoing at the Hwange Thermal Power Station Expansion project, which is 71,86 percent complete.
He said work is in progress for the electrification of Kanyemba in the Mbire district of Mashonaland Central province.
Minister Soda said the construction of the Ethanol Storage Facility at NOIC’s Mabvuku depot is 88 percent complete, with tank fabrication having been accomplished and calibration in progress.
“Meanwhile, the mechanical power sections of the Richsaw Solar Power Plant in Gwanda and Power Ventures Plant in Hwange have been completed,” he said.
Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando advised that the construction of the foundation for the targeted Coke Oven Battery at the Afrochine Dinson Colliery Plant in Hwange is complete.
He said the planned concentrator expansion for the Unki Mine de-bottlenecking Project in the Midlands is 95 percent complete, with 343 people from the local community having been employed by the contractors participating in the project.
Minister Chitando noted that construction of the RioZim Diamond Plant is 78 percent complete, having employed 399 locals.
“Meanwhile, Phase 1 of the targeted construction of the Copper Processing Plant under the Grand Sanyuan Copper Resources Dump Mine project in Mhangura is expected to be completed by the end of November 2021.
“For the Shamva Gold Mine project in Mashonaland Central, the targeted pre-feasibility studies were successfully completed and definitive feasibility studies are set for completion by the end of this month,” he said.
Under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), the Government committed to infrastructure development, supported by the private sector.
The NDS1 is the Government’s current five-year economic management master plan through to the year 2025, which has a strong focus on building, expanding and restoring infrastructure.
Under the strategy, the Government is targeting to increase the number of kilometres of road network converted to meet Southern Africa Transport and Communications Commission (SATCC) standards from 5 percent to 10 percent and to increase the number of kilometres of road network in good condition from 14 702km to 24 500km by 2025.
