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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
GOVERNMENT has completed 63 percent of the nearly 1 400 infrastructure and non-infrastructural projects it started implementing since 2018 as part of efforts to improve service delivery countrywide.

The projects include construction of roads, dams, extension of hospitals, education and information access facilities.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa told a post-Cabinet media briefing on Tuesday that Government remains committed to finishing the projects to improve people’s livelihoods.

“Cabinet wishes to inform the public that as part of its efforts to fulfil its commitment to transparency and accountability, Government produced a compendium of all completed and ongoing infrastructural and other projects by province. Out of a total 1 388 projects which were implemented countrywide by the Second Zimbabwe Republic during the period 2018 to 2020, 829 were infrastructural projects, while 559 were non-infrastructural projects. Of the projects implemented, 868 were completed, while 520 were ongoing,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

“Of the 868 completed projects, 672 are infrastructural, and 196 are other projects, giving credence to the thrust of Government to emphasise on building infrastructure in order to create an enabling environment for socio-economic development.”

She said some of the significant infrastructural projects that have been completed include the construction of innovation hubs at some of the country’s state universities.

Innovation hubs were constructed at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) and Midlands State University among other institutions to incubate brilliant ideas generated by the country’s students and staff before they are developed into business enterprises.

She said Government had established community information centres which include village information centres connecting them with fibre optic links across the country.

“In the health sector, the rehabilitation and upgrading of health facilities included construction of clinics and establishment of superspecialist hospitals. Notable in this regard are health facilities such as the Manicaland State University Clinic in Mutare, the Orthopaedic Hospital in Bulawayo and the BMB at United Bulawayo Hospitals,” she said.

Minister Mutsvangwa said Government has successfully widened parts of the Beitbridge-Masvingo-Harare Highway as well as rehabilitating Skyline-Chimanimani Road which was damaged by Cyclone Idai two years ago.

“In the energy sector, the expansion of the Kariba Power Station and the Hwange Thermal Station have led to increase in power added to the national grid, thereby promoting energy self-sufficiency,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

She said Government’s commitment to addressing water and sanitation challenges resulted in the rehabilitation of Gariya Dam in Tsholotsho.

“In the housing sector, Government prioritised the construction of institutional accommodation, servicing of stands and provision of requisite social amenities. Notable projects include the New Parliament Building, the Tomlinson Depot ZRP flats, and the Civil Servants Housing Scheme in Dzivaresekwa.

‘The focus of Government has also been on improving agricultural production through mechanisation and irrigation development. Notable projects include the Mechanisation Equipment under the John Deere Facility, and the 40-hectare Centre Pivots installed in Kanyemba, Mbire District of Mashonaland Central Province,” she said. — @nqotshili