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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
THE Government, through the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate, has availed 58 communication radios to Beitbridge district which will be used for Civil Protection Unit (CPU) programmes.

Beitbridge District Administrator Mrs Kiliboni Ndou-Mbedzi, who also chairs the local CPU, said the radios would also complete their phone tree initiative.

She said they received the first batch of six radios last week.

“The communication radios will be distributed to key departments which have extension services across the district,” she said.

“These include; District Administrator’s office, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Ministry of Agriculture, the police and the department of Veterinary Services. We welcome the gesture which will enhance our communication capacity and efficiency to monitor and co-ordinate programmes as the Civil Protection Unit”.

Mrs Ndou-Mbedzi said at the moment they were relying on the phone tree initiative.

This, she said, involved the use of cellphones by extension officers on the ground to co-ordinate and convey critical messages on disasters including drought, flooding and epidemics.

Mrs Ndou-Mbedzi said Caritas had previously donated some cell phones to the CPU to enhance its communication capacity.

“We will continue mobilising resources to improve our capacity to convey early warning disaster messages and dealing with any eventualities,” she said.