The Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in charge of implementation and monitoring of governmental programmes, Jorum Gumbo has urged contractors working on the Gwayi-Shangani Dam to employ local people.
Gumbo said the involvement of local people in the implementation of programmes promotes a strong sense of ownership for projects.
He was speaking after touring the pipeline under construction to link up the dam and the city of Bulawayo last week. Gumbo said:
It is my hope that members of the local community are participating in the project through employment opportunities in various aspects of its implementation.
In my view, community participation promotes a strong sense of ownership of the project.
The rapid development that we seek to achieve through the 100-Day Cycle Programme can only be achieved if communities are allowed to actively participate in the projects as opposed to being passive beneficiaries.
The Gwayi-Shangani-Bulawayo pipeline is 250km long. It is expected to stimulate rural industrialisation through irrigation projects.
Besides at least 10 000 hectares of land that will be put under irrigation, a 10MW hydro-electric plant will be built at the dam.
The dam will draw water from the Zambezi River and supply water to the city of Bulawayo.
Last week the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mthuli Ncube, said the project was at 69% completion and the dam height is now at 31 meters out of the required 72 meters. | Business Times