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Lovemore Zigara Midlands Correspondent
The government has been implored to resuscitate ailing industries in the Midlands Province so as to create employment and reduce poverty. Zanu-PF Women’s League Midlands provincial chairperson Ellina Shirichena expressed concern at the slowness with which government is moving in resuscitating some of the province’s industries which used to employ thousands of workers while indirectly supporting downstream industries.

Shirichena was speaking at a Zanu-PF Women’s League provincial conference held at the party’s convention centre in Gweru on Sunday.  Vice-President Joice Mujuru attended it.

Shirichena cited Shabanie, Buchwa and Sandawana Mines as some of the companies that government should revitalise.
“As a province, Midlands is endowed with many minerals and as a result we have so many mines but the biggest challenge is some of the mines have closed down,” said Shirichena.

“We are calling on you Vice-President (Joice) Mujuru as a party and government leader to make sure that government speed up the opening of Shabanie Mine, Buchwa Mine and Sandawana Mines in Mberengwa. Once these industries are opened this would create employment and poverty levels will go down in the province.”
She lamented the reluctance by financial institutions to fund women’s projects saying this was depriving women of economic empowerment.

She said women in the province had taken up mining and called on VP Mujuru who was guest of honour at the conference to ensure that they access equipment for their ventures.

Shirichena said her provincial leadership had engaged the Ministry of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment to hold a workshop to enlighten women on opportunities available on the government-initiated empowerment drives.

The country’s new gender policy seeks to promote the participation of women into the mainstream economy.  Despite women constituting the majority of the population very few are in control of the means of production.