…Govt completes 791 projects, 292 in progress
The province is commonly referred to as the ‘Resource Centre for Zimbabwe’ given the various minerals available. A large part of the Great Dyke is found in the Midlands Province.
High value minerals such as gold, platinum, diamonds, lithium, iron ore, nickel and chrome are mined in the Midlands Province.
Beyond mining, agriculture is practiced as well, due to a favourable climate that allows for crop and animal production.
There are large water bodies too, to support irrigation agriculture. The manufacturing sector is alive also, anchored on mining and agriculture.
Mining sector glows
λ Dinson Iron and Steel Company and Jina Chrome Smelter were established. Dinson is building a US$1 billion steel plant in Manhize. The plant will be arguably the biggest steel plant in Africa. The company will produce 1,2 million tonnes of carbon steel per annum and generate about US$1,9 billion per year. Already, it has employed about 1 000 workers and on completion, over 10 000 workers will be required. A new town to accommodate nearly 30 000 people is being set up.
λ Unki Mine and RZM Murowa Diamonds were expanded.
λ Mimosa, Zimasco and RioZim were resuscitated. The mining projects will contribute significantly to the US$12 billion mining industry target.
λ Sabi Gold Mine has increased production and hired more workers
Benefits of the projects
λ Employment creation
λ Foreign currency generation
λ Social corporate responsibility from the mining companies
Health service delivery
λ New health posts and clinics were constructed, renovated and rehabilitated.
λ Staff houses were also constructed
The following new clinics were constructed;
λ Murunguziva
λ Nyamatsito
λ Mrira
λ Doroguru
λ Hwata
λ Mudzinge
λ Madekwana
λ Nyaurungwe
λ Zvanaka
λ Ruchanyu
λ Katema
λ Jobolinkoon
λ Chimbindi
Health Post/ clinics renovated
λ Munikwa
λ Totonga (Shurugwi)
λ Mapfungautsi
λ Gwanyika
λ Marirazhombe
λ Chebvute (Mberengwa)
λ Chinamasa Clinic in rural υυυ τττ Gweru
Pharmaceutical stores established
λ Gokwe South
λ Zvishavane
λ Mberengwa and Mvuma District hospitals
λ Zvamavande and Jeka Rural Hospitals
λ Lower Gweru Mission Hospital
λ Masuka
λ Vumba and Nyaje Rural Health Centres
λ Ingezi Clinic
Covid-19 Isolation Centres
set up
λ Six Covid-19 isolation centres were set up in the Midlands Province at Gweru Provincial Hospital, Claybank Hospital, Mkoba Teachers’ College, Gweru Polytechnic, Kaguvi VCT and Kwekwe Poly
λ Installation of sola power (8kva solar panels) was done to over 300 primary health facilities in the province
Education projects
λ Education is a powerful agent of change that contributes to social stability and drives long-term economic growth has been and remains the Second Republic’s key development agenda.
λ 103 schools saw construction of additional classroom blocks and 27 science labs.
λ 48 schools had additional teachers’ houses constructed.
New schools constructed
λ Zhaugwe
λ Nyaradza
λ Nyamuroro
λ Budiriro Primary School
λ Neta Government Secondary School
Ongoing projects at schools
λ 86 schools’ classroom blocks construction
λ 56 houses for teachers under construction
λ 27 administration blocks being constructed
Water and sanitation
λ Safe water and sanitation health (WASH) is not only a prerequisite to health, but contributes to livelihoods.
λ 58 Piped water schemes were completed.
λ 24 Water and sewer reticulation projects completed.
λ Borehole Drilling, Maintenance and Rehabilitation
λ Boreholes were drilled at the homesteads of chiefs across the province and some of the chiefs include Chief Njelele, Chief Samambwa, Chief Ndabeni, Chief Gwesela, Chief Gobo, Chief Ruya, Chief Mafala, Chief Simchembo, Chief Nenyunga, Chief Sayi, Chief Jiri, Chief Mutendi, Chief Mapanzure among others. Other boreholes were drilled to serve villages and communities.
λ 109 Presidential Boreholes were drilled in the province and 135 others.
λ Maintenance and rehabilitation of boreholes saw 4 000 being atte υυυ τττ nded to in all the districts.
λ Borehole drilling and installation was done to over 200 primary health facilities across the province.
Dam Construction
Construction of Defe and Vungu dams is in progress.
ICT
λ 17 community information centres established in the province
λ 40 ICT labs set up
λ 124 schools connected to internet
Construction of a girls’ hostel at Zvishavane VTC
λ A state-of-the-art girls’ hostel was completed and commissioned.
λ More girls can now enrol for vocational skills training and development.
λ Modernisation of VTCs and access to Information Communication technology and training.
λ The Zimbabwe Women’s Microfinance Bank (ZWMB) funded 15 229 (female 12 466 and males 2 763) projects to the tune of $115 674 341.
λ Funded projects were in agriculture, construction and property, energy and minerals, individuals, manufacturing, trade and services, transport and distribution.
λ 23 827 jobs were created and 37 368 jobs were sustained.
Women, community, youth empowerment
λ 13 357 MSMEs and Cooperatives were trained in technical and business management skills in areas such as costing, record keeping, entrepreneurship, patenting and branding and cooperative registration.
λ 3 245 MSMEs were linked to domestic, regional and international markets.
λ The Midlands MSME Graduation Ceremony was held in December 2020 were a total of one hundred and twelve (120) enterprises graduated from one level to another with Seventy-one (71) enterprises graduated from micro to small, twenty-six (26) from small to medium and fifteen (15) from medium to large enterprises.
λ 23 cooperatives were registered after completion of pre-registration training and submission of by-laws.
λ The Ministry facilitated the setting up of vegetable value addition centre in Gokwe South under Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Livelihoods Project.
λ $41,137,014.62 was disbursed to 98 clients by SMEDCO.
λ Mubvumbi value addition centre
λ Gweru Mtapa Factory Shells
Presidential Schemes
λ Blitz Tick Grease Programme covered all the districts and this has reduced prevalence of ticks and tick-borne diseases.
λ 30 000 farmers benefited from Livestock Production (Presidential pasture production scheme).
λ Presidential Goat Scheme covered all the districts and 390 goats were distributed.
λ Presidential Poultry Pass-On Scheme benefited all the districts and 29 479 chicks were distributed.
λ Response of dry bean to Trichoderma was adopted by all districts as it is environmentally friendly.
λ Under Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Project (SIRP), 541ha were completed. 360ha of functional irrigation achieved in the province.
λ Presidential Smallholder silage input scheme benefited 266 farmers across the province.
λ 127 549 households received 1kg of tick grease each.
λ 475 148 households benefited under the Pfumvudza/ Intwasa programme.
λ 109 Presidential boreholes were drilled.
Social services
λ 176 290 people benefitted from the Food deficit Mitigation Programme.
λ 4 130 households benefitted from Harmonised Social Cash Transfer.
