Cecilia Chibaya
The government has urged people with disabilities, women, and youths to participate in the development of road infrastructure in the country.
Addressing delegates at the 2022 Buy Zimbabwe Public Procurement Conference and Awards held in the capital yesterday, Minister of Transport and Infrastructural development Felix Mhona said the ministry is not getting calls from women as well as people with disabilities demanding for road rehabilitation.
“We are saying we’ve got a quarter for women, we’ve got a quarter for youths, and a quarter with disabilities but we’re not finding people coming upfront.
“This is my plea, I’m waiting for you to come up to also demand to rehabilitate our roads. This is now again a humble plea where we can form up very vibrant businesses as women, youths, and those with disabilities so that you partake in the exercise of rebuilding our infrastructure,” he said
Mhona also revealed that productive sectors are key to success as the government thrives on a good road network that facilitates efficient transportation of people and goods between sources of raw materials, production centers as well as production centers, and markets.
“It imperative that government efforts in contributing to the infrastructure utilities are a pillar being driven from road development and rehabilitation perspective leveraged by a transparent public procurement system.
“Even if we go to our supreme constitution of Zimbabwe under section 298, it talks of transparency and accountability which are of paramount importance.
“Government is never in doubt of the zeal that our contractors have in supporting national programs, such as the ERP 2 encapsulated by his Excellency the President Comrade Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s signature statement Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo, “ he said.
This year’s Buy Zimbabwe Public Procurement Conference and Awards was held under the theme Unlocking Zimbabwe’s potential through Public Procurement. The theme resonates with by stakeholders s in the procurement of construction services to deliver quality durable and sustainable infrastructures.
