The ManicaPost
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke Senior Reporter
Zanu-PF Secretary for Finance Cde Patrick Chinamasa has urged the Minister of State for Manicaland Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba to urgently compile a database of the natural endowments of the province and how they can be exploited to achieve an upper middle income economy in line with Government’s Vision 2030.
He was speaking at the belated victory celebrations and thank you rally for the Minister held at the weekend, where he was the guest of honour.
Cde Chinamasa said provinces were expected to build their own economies through leveraging on their natural resource endowments.
“In this score, Manicaland is blessed indeed, we have what it takes to prosper beyond measure.
“This vision is achievable and we can do so if we choose. We can only achieve this task if we work as a team,” he said.
“Hon. Minister, you need to compile a database of the natural endowments of the province, administrative district by administrative district and table this for discussion. It is exploitation of these that will grow our GDP.”
He said Manicaland has a huge potential to be a major tourist attraction but needed to solve the challenge of illegal settlers who are still settled on timber plantations as they were a threat to both the tourism and the timber industries.
Cde Chinamasa also said expansion and operationalisation of the Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences was long overdue and needed urgent attention.
“Of all provinces, Manicaland lags behind in the development of its own State university. The immediate task is to secure all land on which the four future campuses of the university are to be established,” he said.
The university is currently operating from the Fern Valley campus but it is expected to establish three more campuses in Makoni, Chipinge and Nyanga districts.
“The City of Mutare is our diamond town, spearhead development so that it becomes our pride and source of joy for us all,” he said.
He thanked the minister for coming back to the people to thank and celebrate with them, adding that she should always strive to be people oriented.
Giving her remarks, Minister Gwaradzimba expressed her appreciation to the people of Manicaland for voting her into the Senate.
Dr Gwaradzimba represents four constituencies in the Senate; Dangamvura-Chikanga, Mutare North, Mutare Central and Mutasa South.
She said the job of making Manicaland great again was a great one which needed a collective effort to ensure achievement of Vision 2030 goals.
“My office is in the process of creating a database of all the children of Manicaland excelling in all sectors of the economy. We need to create a network, a think tank. We need to have a meeting of minds in order for us all to take Manicaland to a higher place of economic development to achieve our national vision.It is doable when we stand undivided and we turn all our efforts into developing Manicaland,” she said
Dr Gwaradzimba promised to listen to the people to ensure that the province grows and takes its place as the anchor of the country’s economy.
