Zimbabwe says 60 percent of its projects are on target

Zimbabwe, which is currently going through a severe economic crisis, said yesterday 54 projects that the government is implementing, representing 60 percent of government projects, were on target while 14 were ahead of target.

In a cabinet briefing yesterday Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said only 22 projects were behind schedule at day 50.

She was presenting a report on the implementation of government programmes for the second 100-day cycle which began on 28 February and ends on 7 June.

Zimbabwe is currently facing an acute shortage of fuel, power and cash. Prices are also skyrocketing as businesses continue to peg them on the black-market rate of the local RTGS dollar against the United States dollar.

Mutsvangwa did not list the projects that were ahead of schedule or those on schedule but said they were being undertaken by the ministries of: Environment and Tourism, Finance, Higher Education, Foreign Affairs, Home Affairs, Justice, Information and Mines.

She listed the projects that were behind schedule as:

• The transformer manufacturing and prepaid meter installation projects;
• The setting up of provision of surgical services at provincial hospitals, child adolescent mental health services, and customer care training for health personnel;
• Compliance of non-governmental organisations with the Private Voluntary Organisations Act, capacity building for enhanced communication with people hard of hearing, industrial harmony and sustainable livelihoods;
• Makuti-Chirundu optic fibre backbone link;
• Security of tenure and mechanization of irrigation development;
• The Tsholotsho disaster recovery;
• Magama extension water reticulation project;
• The cultural and creative industry facility;
• Recreational park at Nemamwa growth point;
• Refurbishment of Wedza country club;
• Resuscitation of the girls’ hostel at Rodger Howman Training Centre in Masvingo;
• Staff accommodation and ablution facilities at Matsholi Secondary School project;
• Dualisation of the road from Melfort to Bromley along Harare-Mutare road, dualisation of the road from tollgate to 59.4km peg along the Harare-Bulawayo road as well as the Norton over-rail and fencing of the Beitbridge-Bulawayo road.

Mutsvangwa said these projects were behind because of price escalations and shortage of foreign currency.

(123 VIEWS)