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President Emmerson Mnangagwa

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa says he is working on setting up a leaner Cabinet aimed at working more effectively and efficiently towards the recovery of the economy.

He said ministries whose activities overlapped would be merged to cut costs and enhance productivity and efficiency in service delivery.

Addressing heads of ministries at Munhumutapa boardroom yesterday, President Mnangagwa said those who had reached retirement age would be retired.

“This meeting is one of the many interfaces I am having with various agencies of Government for purposes of familiarising myself with key players as well as to provide the general direction to be taken by my administration.

“I am currently in the process of putting together a new Government structure, which should essentially be leaner. This, of course, will entail the merging of line Ministries in order to remove functional duplications as well as contain unnecessary expenditures, so as to enhance productivity and efficient delivery of service,” said President Mnangagwa.

He assured civil servants that no one would be laid off except those who have reached retirement age.

He said those whose ministerial posts will be abolished will be re-skilled and re-assigned to other areas in the public service.

“I am sure that you will appreciate that the re-building of our national economy and improvement of the livelihoods of all our citizens is both urgent and imperative,” said the President.

“Our people have endured economic hardships for over two decades and now expect this new Government to turn things around, within the shortest time possible.

“Let us take advantage of the optimism among our people, ushered in by this current dispensation and do our best. This huge weight of expectations from the populace should bid us all to shun the laissez faire approach to our work and instead, endeavour to adopt a high performance work ethic.”

President Mnangagwa said the prime focus should thus be on the implementation of practical solutions to grow the economy, create jobs and boost the incomes of the people.

“My Government will have no tolerance for bureaucratic slothfulness, which is quick to brandish procedures as an excuse for stalling service delivery to citizens, investors and other stakeholders. Our mantra should be peak performance, peak performance and peak performance.

“As heads of ministries, your role is supremely critical in the realisation of the aspirations of all our citizens and stakeholders. I will certainly count on you for success in turning around the fortunes of our economy. Indeed together we can do it,” said President Mnangagwa.

@AuxiliaK