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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
Government has availed more than $130 million for the construction of a state-of-the-art Vocational Training Centre (VTC) near Maboleni Business Centre in Lower Gweru.

The new VCT, which will be under Vungu Rural District Council, is expected to equip locals with life skills such as carpentry that will improve the livelihood of the community.

Local Government and Public Works Minister, July Moyo said the VCT will be funded by devolution funds adding that so far the central Governement has released $138 million to Vungu Rural District council.

Minister Moyo who was adressing traditional leaders in Lower Gweru recently said: “We have heard that the Lower Gweru community is lagging behind in terms of development and the Member of Parliament of the area Cde Omega Sibanda has been pushing for the construction of a VCT here and this will help a lot of youths as we expect it to offer various courses once completed,” he said.

Minister Moyo said Government was this year releasing more than double what local authorities received last year as devolution funds and construction of the new VCT should be a priority for Vungu RDC.

“ I was telling the chief executive officer for Vungu RDC that this year, Central Government released $138 million for Vungu so the construction of a vocational training centre here should not be a problem, we have six areas which we set as priority development areas and education is one of them,” he said.

Minister Moyo said villagers should work hand in hand with local leadership in providing labour for the construction of the new education facility.

“This will help save the money you will receive as devolution funds. There are many other projects that needs to be done,” he said.
Cde Sibanda said he was already engaging officials at the Midlands State University (MSU) so that the vocational training centre once completed, could be an affiliate of the institution.

He said the vocational centre will help empower local youths most of whom were engaging in illegal gold panning.

“We are already engaging the authorities at MSU so that we can have lecturers coming down to teach our youths who will be enroling at the vocational centre. We want the lecturers to come and help with career guidance as well,” he said.