‘Breadwinners’ hard work driving economic growth’

BREADWINNERS have been praised by President Mnangagwa for working tirelessly to provide for their families, with that hard work and its increasing output, when all is added up, also driving the economic growth of the nation.

In his New Year’s message to the nation delivered over the weekend, President Mnangagwa said good health, decent life, love and companionship, which “matter the most in our lives”, should not be taken for granted.

Through combined efforts, productivity targets aimed at mitigating poverty and heightening prosperity for all were met and exceeded.

“To all the hardworking breadwinners who endeavoured to make sure that their families and dependants led comfortable lives, I say thank you. It is through your hard work and effort that our country is also on a path to sustainable socio-economic growth and development,” said President Mnangagwa.

As a united front, he said, Zimbabweans proudly reflect on the many deliverables of “great significance” achieved in the past year, “motivated and emboldened to face the future”.

Reflecting on the milestones attained in the agriculture and mining subsectors in 2022, which saw Zimbabwe recording a historic self-sufficient harvest of wheat, and positioning itself for a US$12 billion haul in mining by the end of this year, among other sector achievements, President Mnangagwa said much promise abounds for the nation this year.

The President’s optimism for a successful year is anchored on generally good rains which will power agriculture, and the continued discovery and mining of more minerals.

New lithium deposits have been discovered in Mutoko and Mberengwa, which add to the existing lithium mining projects in Bikita and Goromonzi.

In Bikita, there is Bikita Minerals which has been extracting the mineral for a long time now, and Sabi Star Mine, whose operations were commissioned by President Mnangagwa in Buhera.

Zimbabwe is also on course to venture into oil and gas mining in Muzarabani if the exploration being done there is positively concluded. So far, there are encouraging indications of the availability of both natural gas and the gas condensates that can be the base of a wider petroleum industry.

President Mnangagwa said for the national vision of becoming an upper-middle income economy by 2030 to be realised, focus should be on modernising, industrialising and growing the economy by leveraging on the country’s natural and human endowments.

“In this regard, the Second Republic will continue implementing measures to grow our economy, taking advantage of the good rains and the benefits accruing from the engagement and re-engagement agenda,” he said.

The President added that as he traversed across the country, the evidence of the people’s “hard, honest work” was conspicuous as they peacefully interacted among themselves.

“Through unity of purpose and hard work, we are going to lift more of our people out of poverty and into prosperity, whilst at the same time leaving no one and no place behind. I salute all Zimbabweans, in particular at grassroot village level.

“As I traversed the countryside, it was evident that our people are living through hard, honest work at peace amongst themselves in their communities,” he said.

Turning to the forthcoming elections scheduled for some time this year, President Mnangagwa called on citizens to be peaceful before, during and after the elections.

“Fellow Zimbabweans, elections offer an opportunity to exercise our democratic right. As such, during next year (this year), we will be holding the harmonised general elections.

“Mindful of the fact that we are a diverse but one people, united by one flag, I urge each and everyone of us to continue being peace-loving and politically mature citizens,” he said.

The President said defending the nation’s sovereignty, won through a protracted liberation struggle, should “serve as a reminder to us all”, as Zimbabweans “march forward together” conscious that “Chimurenga Chepfungwa is a process, not an event”.

“As masters of our own destiny, we should also start looking beyond 2030 so that we will be able to create a better future for generations to come,” he said.-herald.cl.zw