GWERU City authorities here say they will double water tariffs to make up for a shortfall in funding for water provision after Unicef withdrew subsidies to the Midlands city.
The United Nations agency had helped the local authority with cash to buy water treatment chemicals but will no longer be doing so in future, city finance director Edward Mwedzi told a meeting of residents and other stakeholders here last week. Mwedzi said to cover the funding gap the city will have to double water tariffs, a position also confirmed by Gweru mayor Tadius Chimombe.
Chimombe said the withdrawal of Unicef support would be with effect from December 30. “Unicef has supported us for a long time and they have notified us of their intention to stop the aid,” the mayor said. The mayor said the closure of several companies after a decade of economic and political turmoil has left the city with a drastically reduced revenue base, thrusting much of the burden to fund council on the shoulders of residents.
In addition, the city is also owed US$5 million in unpaid rates, Chimombe said. But cash-strapped residents say they will find it hard to pay extra costs for water given many of them were out of work after some of Gwerus biggest companies have either scaled down operations or closed shop altogether over the past decade.
“It will difficult for us to pay because the majority of residents here are unemployed and cash is scarce,” said Theodora Mukuna, a street vendor.
Post published in: News