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Tafadzwa Chibukwa, Chronicle Reporter
BULAWAYO Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Judith Ncube has said the private sector should participate in the country’s economic growth in line with Vision 2030.

She made the remarks yesterday as she handed over a consignment of blankets donated to inmates at Khami Prison by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG). The church has launched a social relief campaign, UNISOCIAL, to help the needy both locally and internationally.

UNISOCIAL is a partnership of all the outreach groups of the UCKG social projects, which include assistants, soul winners and Caleb Group among others.

Minister Ncube commended the church for the gesture to complement Government efforts in addressing the plight of prisoners.

“The Government under the leadership of His Excellency President Mnangagwa is grateful for the support and interventions that private players are bringing to our communities, which is in line with the Vision 2030,” she said.

“We continue to encourage private sector participation in economic growth. As a province we value the contributions that UNISOCIAL is offering towards the rehabilitation of convicted and incarcerated persons.”

The minister appealed to UNISOCIAL to also consider supporting the reintegration of ex-convicts into society.

“On several occasions, we have noted that the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God continues to complement Government efforts towards the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) socio-economic initiatives,” she said.

She noted that the UCKG has been implementing a number of projects benefitting vulnerable groups in the Bulawayo Metropolitan province.

The minister lauded ZPCS for transforming lives of inmates through its rehabilitation programmes.

“These projects, which offer life skills have assisted youths to desist from behaviour that include crime and drug abuse. What the ZPCS is doing here is great as they are transforming the lives of the inmates through giving them training in different social backgrounds,” she said.

“It is important that upon their release, these people would have been equipped with many different skills that will help them to integrate back into society.”

Minister Ncube commended the UCKG for its social contract to help women and children desist from the abuse of drugs through social skills training.

“I would like to say congratulations Bishop Justice Colidiza for reaching out to the ZPCS by helping them out with the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates,” she said.

Bishop Justice Colidiza of the UCKG said their gesture is in response to the appeal by Minister Ncube to chip in and assist the inmates.

The Deputy Officer Commanding ZPCS Bulawayo Province Assistant Commissioner Cleopas Moyo commended the church for the donation.

“I wish to sincerely express my profound gratitude towards this gesture of donation of blankets by the UCKG through our Honourable Minister,” said Asst Comm Moyo.

“In as much as it is the obligation of the Government to provide inmates with basic requirements, we, however, receive inadequate funding creating a gap where donors can assist.”

Asst Comm Moyo said due to the increased population of inmates, ZPCS continues to struggle in terms of effectively providing resources for the inmates. – @Sagepapie14