Story by Owen Mandovha
MORE than three million direct and indirect jobs were created in the construction industry over the last 5 years through government’s robust housing development policy thrust which has to date completed over 40 000 housing units while creating massive opportunities in the economy.
In a Post Cabinet Media Briefing this Thursday, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Senator Monica Mutsvangwa noted government’s national housing development policy enunciated in the National Development Strategy One blueprint to construct 220 000 houses by 2025 has achieved huge milestones, with over 40 000 housing units having been completed so far.
“Cabinet received and considered the report on the Impact of the National Housing Delivery Programme on Economic Development. In 2021, Cabinet approved the National Human Settlement Policy with the aim of constructing 220 000 units by 2025. To date, a total of 136 850 stands have been fully serviced. The servicing of 43 605 stands is work in progress. The number of completed houses is 49 150 while 42 706 houses are under construction,” she said.
Millions of jobs have been created while the construction boom has spurred several industry sub-sectors underpinning the national economic growth trajectory.
“A total of 3 902 301 jobs were created in the construction sector through servicing of stands, manufacturing of materials, and retail and hardware sales since the inception of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1). The housing sector’s demand for various materials stimulated the production of cement, hardware, and bricks among a host of other construction commodities. The issuance of title deeds to Epworth residents has unlocked value for beneficiaries through financial inclusion. Title deeds will continue to be issued to different settlements across the country,” she added.
As preparations for the 23 August plebiscite gather pace, government has undertaken a proactive approach to fulfil each voter’s constitutional right by way of paving access roads to each polling station countrywide.
“Government launched a blitz maintenance of access roads to polling stations throughout the country in order to allow every eligible voter to access the nearest polling station and exercise their right as enshrined in the Constitution. A total of 4 000 kilometres out of a targeted 6 145 kilometres have been attended to through grading, gravelling and pothole patching in all the eight rural provinces, while 290 kilometres out of a target of 1 086 kilometres were verge-cleared. A total of 18 kilometres out of a targeted 216 kilometres of drainage structures on bridges, pipe drifts and culverts were attended to and the works are still ongoing.”
Meanwhile, Cabinet also reviewed and acknowledged the immense work done by Vice President Retired General Dr Constantino Chiwenga through recent various international engagements in Egypt and India which elevated Zimbabwe’s position on the global stage, while creating investment linkages with foreign entities to invest in the country.
