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Dr Tinashe Manzungu of the ZNCC Midlands Chapter hands over the Best Financial Services award to Mr Gerald Zhou (left) of Inclusive Financial Services at the ZNCC Midlands Chapter Business Awards ceremony in Gweru last Friday

Lovemore Zigara, Midlands Correspondent
The Government should fine-tune its investment policies to create a solid foundation that will support productivity and enhance economic growth.

Mimosa Mine executive chairman, Mr Winston Chitando said this in Gweru on Friday while addressing delegates during the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) Midlands Chapter Business awards ceremony.

He stressed the need for Government to address bottlenecks in public procurement and also facilitate the integration of small to medium enterprises into the mainstream economy.

“There has been growth in the mining sector and I do believe that our mining sector is firmly anchored on the path to recovery in a number of sectors such as gold, platinum, coal and other sectors. But, like I said earlier on, we wish to have coherent policies going forward that support local industry,” he said.

“The public sector is an important market and therefore improving public procurement practices  as well as removing obstacles there and involving the small to medium enterprises should always be a priority.

“Going forward it remains imperative that we continue to recognise that if we are to realise any significant economic growth, there is continued need for well thought out policies that will create and grow that local economy,”  said Mr Chitando.

The Government, led by the Office of the President and Cabinet is already seized with championing a range of doing business reforms that are set to attract more investment and support local businesses.

Speaking at the same occasion ZNCC vice president Dr Divine Ndlukula said businesses should leverage on the growth of the mining sector and create strong synergies that are mutually beneficial.

“The other sectors are going down while the mining sector is going up and so what is required are linkages. I was chairing the joint suppliers and producers committee at Chamber of Mines and there has been a bit of progress, which has benefited local companies,” said Dr Ndlukula.

“Therefore there is a need to push the idea in a robust manner to benefit other sectors of the economy through such synergies, which will lead to economic growth.”

This year’s awards ran under the theme: “Consolidating the new normal economy through economic reforms”.

The biggest winner for the night was Mimosa Mining Company, which scooped first prize in the exporter of the year in the precious metals category before scooping the best company with the HIV and Aids practice in the workplace as well as the best corporate social responsibility award.

Other winners of the night included Steelmakers, which won the exporter of the year award in the manufacturing sector and Lifetouch Investments who won the investor of the year award following the setting up of a cement plant in Redcliff.

For its extensive coverage of business and economic issues in the province The Chronicle was also awarded the media partner award in the print media.

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