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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
VARIOUS ministries have been urged to come up with strategies which will help further the devolution agenda.

Addressing heads of Government departments during a Provincial Development Committee (PDC) meeting recently, Matabeleland South Provincial Development Coordinator (PDC), Ms Lathiso Dlamini said various ministries should not view the devolution agenda as the sole responsibility of the Ministry of Local Government.

She said each department was expected to produce a paper on how they planned to attain Vision 2030 and further the devolution agenda.

“As we work towards devolution we have to work together as various stakeholders as the success of the devolution agenda requires collective effort. Devolution isn’t the responsibility of the Ministry of Local Government or local authorities only but all line Ministries have a part to play.

“I urge all Ministries to come up with plans on how to further the devolution agenda. While we are waiting to be fully devolved there is a lot that we can be doing and there are a number of strategies that we can put in place to ensure the success of the devolution programme,” she said.

Ms Dlamini said the devolution agenda was one of the key drivers of Vision 2030 as it aimed to ensure that provinces fully benefited from their resources which will in turn boost their economies and further develop the nation’s economy. She said the province was endowed with both natural and human resources that if properly harnessed could assist with long lasting solutions to perennial problems. She urged various stakeholders to play an active role in developing the province. Ms Dlamini said it was the duty of all stakeholders to ensure that the province was turned into a productive power house under the devolution programme.

“Under the Vision 2030 the country aspires to attain a middle income status and one of the key indicators is if provinces become economically stable which will in turn boost the country’s economy. The devolution strategy is an opportunity for us as a province to take the development agenda into our own hands and fully utilise the resources in our area and sell our province to potential investors.

“Ministries and Government departments have to ensure that they maximise production in their various sectors in order to grow the province’s GDP,” she said.

The province has crafted a strategy which is expected to guide the development process under the devolution programme.

Under the strategy key sectors have been identified within the province which include mining, tourism, investment promotion, agriculture, infrastructure and energy development, education and information. Responsible Ministries and Government departments working with the private sector have to ensure that they maximise production under their particular sectors. This process will be guided by Government policies and targets which have already been set. — @DubeMatutu